Sisterhood
by Ralinde
Summary: "You don't know anything about what I've sacrificed Cissy," Bellatrix said darkly. "Well then, by all means, please enlighten me," Narcissa answered with sarcasm. They stared at each other, enraged. - Chapter 21 is up! Thank you Gamma Orionis for creating the lovely cover!
1. The importance of being Black

1. THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING BLACK

"Andy, hurry up! Mother will be furious if we're not on time!"

A bunch of brown hair appeared around the corner of the door. "Just a minute!" the girl referred to as Andy said and disappeared. The other girl sighed and glanced sideways at the big clock. Any moment now, they would come down the street…

"Bellatrix, Andromeda, we're leaving. Are you girls finally packed and ready?" The voice of the girls' mother was stern and severe but they didn't know her any better. She appeared just inches away from where Bella was standing, followed by a blond girl.

"Yes mother, we are ready," the girl named Bella hastily answered.

"Where's Andromeda?" she frowned.

"I'm right here mother."

Andy had appeared next to Bella and the two sisters looked at her with a blank face, hoping she wouldn't ask what they had been doing. They were sure she wouldn't approve of the items they had just purchased at the local jokes store. Andy quickly shoved a bag with the imprint Gambol&Japes in the pocket of her cloak and hoped her mother hadn't noticed.

"Well, don't just stand there, follow me!" the girls' mother bellowed and then strolled away. The three girls followed her. "We have to go to Olivander's."

"What have you been doing?" the blond girl, obviously a younger sibling, whispered.

"None of your business Cissy," Bella said. "You'll find out soon enough."

Andy grinned at the look on Cissy's face. Being the middle child, she had often endured the teasing of her elder sister but it felt good to be on the other side for a change. And as Cissy was Mum's favourite, she didn't mind too much, as long as Cissy didn't tell.

Mister Olivander, the wand maker, greeted them when they entered the store.

"Ah Madame Black, welcome." He bowed and said to Cissy: "I bet you're entering Hogwarts this year dear, and you're in need of a wand. Am I right?"

"That's right," Madame Black said before Cissy could speak.

"Well, as you probably already know, the wand chooses the wizard or witch. If I remember correctly, your own wand is a 12½" oak with a core of unicorn hair?"

Druella nodded. "And your father's," he was now talking to Cissy again, "is a 13" rowan with a core of dragon's heartstring. So, why don't we start with this one, chestnut and unicorn hair, 11¾", reasonably flexible."

He gave the wand to Cissy, but shook his head. "No, that's not right." He handed her another wand. "Yew and dragon heartstring, 12"." He took it back almost as soon as he had handed it to Cissy. He handed her a few more, but didn't seem happy until he handed her an 'elmwood, unicornhair, 11". Madame Black purchased the wand and they all left the store. Bella was silently wondering why her Mum could not have gone wand shopping with just Cissy instead of all of them but was wise enough not to utter this comment out loud.

Madame Black continued her walk throughout Diagon Alley and turned a corner. They found themselves in Knockturn Alley, full of dark and shabby shops.

The most obscure store was called Borkin&Burkes and it was towards that store they were heading. Andy felt a shiver. She hated this store, though she couldn't tell why. Bella seemed to be intrigued by it and Cissy just stayed close to their mum. _Not a big fan either,_ Andy thought. _Or maybe her younger sister was just too little too understand._

"Good afternoon, Druella." A man with a rat like face appeared and nodded. Madame Black nodded back at him. "Caractarus."

"And the misses Bellatrix, Andromeda and I assume this young lady would be miss Narcissa?" He nodded in the direction of the blond sister.

"You assume correctly," Druella replied coldly. "I would like to purchase the item we talked about."

"Right, right, now just let me see…"

"I do hope you haven't sold it, have you?" Druella raised an eyebrow and the man shook his head. "No no, off course not," he replied in a squeaky voice. "Just a minute." He scurried to the back of the store, to return in what seemed like mere seconds. He held a package in his hands and carefully handed it over to Druella. The three girls tried to see what was inside the wrapping paper as their mother opened it but she carefully blocked their view.

"Fine, that'll do," she said and replaced the wrapping paper before handing it back to the shop owner. She also gave him a large bag which, judging by the sound of it, contained a huge amount of Galleons. The package changed hands once more as Druella placed it in her bag. With one final nod she strolled out of the store.

"I hope you see that being a Black has his advantages," Druella said as they continued their walk around Knockturn Alley. The girls raised their eyebrows. They did not understand at all. But Druella gave no further explanation. The girls whispered amongst themselves as to what would be in the package their mother had bought at Borgin&Burkes. _Would it be a birthday present for someone? But if that were the case, she would not have acted so mysterious about it. Perhaps it was something of a dark magic, but would any shop just be selling items like that? Even if said shop was located at Knockturn Alley?_ None of their ideas made any sense, so eventually, they had to give up their guessing.

Back at the Estate, Bella hurried towards her room. She shoved the packages she had been carrying under her bed, grasped a broom and ran downstairs to the garden. If she was lucky, she could just practice her flying a bit before dinner. She mounted her broom and rose into the sky. She loved the feeling of the wind blowing around her ears. She increased her speed and soared through the sky. _This was just marvellous!_ Against odds, she secretly hoped the rules had been changed this year and that girls would be allowed on the team. She knew she could keep up with them. She had seen them play last team and she knew she was better than a lot of them. It was not likely the rules would be changed but Bella still hold on to a sparkle of possibility. She practised for about an hour and then reluctantly descended the broom when it was time for dinner to be served.

Dinner went by in silence, as it always did. The Blacks considered talking whilst consuming food highly offensive, even if it was just the family. One might even think they thought talking in its own was offensive, for parents and children hardly spoke at all with each other. Of course, they spoke to one another, but there was never chitchat or talk about emotions. The girls were raised in a formal way but held great esteem for their parents. Being a Black meant something in the wizarding community. It meant wealth and influence and the respect of other people. It meant almost being royalty, at least in their own eyes. It meant getting anything you wanted for the sheer fact that you wanted it. It meant never having to be bothered with financial problems. Being a Black also meant good marriage prospects, since they had money, intelligence _and_ beauty.

The girls all had high cheekbones, fine features and a certain arrogance in their look. Cygnus, their father, was a tall, severe looking man. His wife Druella's features were a little softer, probably because she already had some grey in her blond hair. The daughters looked very much alike, be it that they each had a different hair colour. Bellatrix, the eldest daughter, was 16 and had long raven hair falling in thick ringlets on her back. Andromeda was two years younger. Her hair was brown and her ringlets fell just below her shoulders. Narcissa, the youngest sibling, had long blond hair. She was the only one without ringlets. She was their favourite; their pet child and they spoiled her rotten.

Bellatrix and Andromeda had been attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for several years and this year Narcissa, who had turned eleven in October, would join them. She was anxious and excited and couldn't stop asking her sisters all kind of questions about Hogwarts.

The next morning they all woke up early, because it was the first day of the new schoolyear. The girls' suitcases thumped down the stairs. Cygnus magically shrunk them so they ended up looking like handbags. They would travel by Floo powder to get to Kings Cross Station, where the Hogwarts Express would be waiting at platform 9¾, as it did every year. Bella went first, since she was the eldest. She grasped a handful of Floo Powder and said in a clear voice: "King's Cross Station." She threw the Floo Powder into the fireplace and green flames erupted around her. She felt a familiar, nauseating feeling but when she opened her eyes, she was standing in another fireplace in a large hall, filled with people. She brushed the ashes off of her and Andy and her father, who had followed quickly after her, did the same. Their mother came last, with Cissy. From this point on, they expected Bella to take care of her sisters. They never saw them off to the train, not since Andy had started Hogwarts four years ago.

"Goodbye mother, father." Bella nodded to each of them. Andy repeated her moves and with a little hesitation, so did Cissy. The Blacks did not hug in public and sparsely in the privacy of their own home. Cygnus and Druella nodded back, giving their daughters a final warning not to besmirch the Black family name and went home again by Floo powder.

"Come along," Bella muttered to Cissy. "You're not a baby anymore, sure you can get on a train on your own?" But her tone was more mocking then that it was actually unpleasant. Cissy sighed and followed her through the stonewall that separated platform Nine from platform Ten. If you went through the barrier, there was another platform, invisible for the Muggles, the non-magical people. This platform, platform 9¾, was crowded with people in cloaks. They were early, yet the big red Hogwarts Express was already waiting. After having installed Cissy in one of the compartments, Andy and Bella left to go find their friends.

Cissy felt rather alone and wished they had stayed just a little longer. But she manned up. She was a Black, wasn't she? And Blacks were supposed to take care of themselves. She didn't need her sisters alongside every step of the way. She reached in her trunk for a book and started to read.

The door burst open and a boy with blond hair stood in the doorway. "Hey, there's an almost free compartment here!" he yelled at some one Cissy couldn't see. Two boys entered the compartment. They looked her age, so she figured it would be a nice moment to get to know some of her fellow students already. She put the book back in her bag and introduced herself to them. The boy with the blond hair said his name was Ricardo Vitel and the other one, who had brown curly hair, introduced himself as Leonard Blishwick.

"Blishwick, as in family of Jimbo Blishwick?" Cissy asked intrigued. She had heard of the name, a distant relative had been married to a Jimbo Blishwick.

"Yes, he was the brother of my granddad," Leonard replied.

Ricardo cut in. "Are you really a Black?" he asked.

Cissy nodded, content with the look of awe on his face.

"So, you'll be in Slytherin then I guess."

"I suppose. My sisters are both in Slytherin, and my parents have been in Slytherin too, as have my grandparents and my uncle and aunt."

"Awesome. Leonard is probably going to be in Slytherin as well. As for me, I don't know yet where they'll put me, but I suppose everything is fine as long as I'm not in Gryffindor. My dad would kill me if I ended up in Gryffindor."

The boys laughed and Cissy laughed with them. They were kind and she figured the journey would be more pleasant with company. She hoped they would all be sorted in Slytherin and felt confident now that she knew two fellow students.

When the train arrived at Hogsmeade station, it was already starting to get dark. A gigantic man with a black beard bellowed: "Firstyears, this way!"

They followed him to a big lake, where little boats lay waiting. Older students went the other way, talking and laughing and greeting old friends.

"Come along, come along!" the man shouted at the group of first year students who stood hesitatingly at the side of the lake. Slowly, they walked to the boats. When all the students had boarded, the boats sailed themselves towards a big castle. They hadn't looked stable but it was like they glided over the water.

Bella and Andy were very happy to see their friends again. Bella's best friend Geraldine Zabini hugged them both, as did Andy's best friend Amelia Bones. The four of them got along quite well.

"How was your holiday in France, Amelia?" Bella asked. "Andy told me you've been to Paris!"

"Really?" Geraldine leaned in closer. "I heard the boys there are really good-looking…"

"Oh oh, you're only interested in boys, aren't you?" Bella said with a smile.

"What's the matter with that? I'd rather look at a nice boy than at some silly old building."

They all laughed. Geraldine looked embarrassed, which made them laugh even more.

"Sorry, this carriage is already taken," Bella said to group of second years about to get in one of the carriages.

"What? But we were here before you girls were!" one of the second years protested.

"So? We're older and besides, I'm a Black, so you'll just have to take another carriage." With an arrogant look on her face, she stepped past the dumbstruck second year student and got in the carriage. Geraldine grinned and got in as well. Andy frowned. "Bella…" she began.

"Oh shut up and get in," Bella said. "It's not like there are no other carriages."

Reluctantly, both Andy and Amelia got in. As the carriage pulled itself in the direction of the castle, Andy said:

"That was not really necessary Bella, right? We could just have taken another carriage ourselves."

"I didn't feel like waiting," Bella replied haughtily. "It'll be a lesson for them, not to linger if you want to get somewhere. Oh get over it," she added when she saw her sister's face. "They'll be fine. I'll give them Sugared Quills when we're at Hogwarts, happy now?" Her voice was drenched in sarcasm and Andy sighed. "Whatever," she shrugged finally.

As always, the Great Hall was lined with tables. Four big rows of tables, one row for each House. And of course there was also the table the teachers sat at. Bella, Andy and Geraldine walked to the tables on the left, which were Slytherin's. Amelia was in Ravenclaw so she walked over to the table left of the centre. They were barely seated when professor McGonagall, head of Gryffindor House, entered through the big doors. She was followed by a line of frightened looking first years about to be sorted.

"Look, there's Cissy!" Andy pointed. She tried to wave at her, but Cissy didn't notice.

Like every year the Sorting Hat spoke a few words about each House before the ceremony started. The first one to be sorted was Andy Abbots, a little boy with glasses. Bella grinned at Andy. "How cute, you share your name with a first year boy."

"Shut up," Andy said and stuck out her tongue.

Andy Abbots was sorted into Hufflepuff and a cheer came from the tables on the right of the centre. They watched as Melanie Adams, a pale looking girl, was sorted into Ravenclaw and Krystal Allegria into Gryffindor. They cheered for the Avery-twins Amandine and Waldemar when the Sorting Hat shouted Slytherin. Cassiopeia Bard entered Gryffindor, followed by Jeremy Belting who was sorted into Hufflepuff.

"Again, there's quite a lot of them who are not from one of the pureblood families, isn't it?" Bella frowned as she let her eyes scan the first years.

"You're right," Geraldine said. She also frowned.

"I thought last year was bad but I sure hope that it won't be any worse this year, though I highly doubt it by the look of it."

"How can they even let so many enter?" Geraldine wondered.

"I honestly don't know. I think it's Dumbledore. Mum says he's a bit of a softy when it comes to Muggles and I think she's right. Well, I'm glad Slytherin only takes on purebloods."

"Ssshh, it's Cissy's turn," Andy whispered.

"Ah well, she'll be in Slytherin with us, no doubt about it," Bella replied but she stopped talking nonetheless. She expected the Sorting Hat to shout out Slytherin the moment the Hat touched Cissy's head but much to her surprise it took some time for the Hat to finally decide that Cissy would be in the same House as her elder siblings. Cissy ran over to the Slytherin tables and was hugged by Andy and Bella.

"What took you so long?" Bella asked with a smile.

"Well, the Hat hesitated whether it should put me in Slytherin or in Ravenclaw."

Bella snorted with disdain. "Ravenclaw, as if."

"Hey, Amelia is in Ravenclaw as well," Andy objected.

"Yeah, but Cissy is a Black and Blacks ought to be in Slytherin. Imagine what Father and Mother would say if they received word that Cissy was in Ravenclaw, I'm sure they'd say it was our fault or something."

Andy nodded sadly. Yes, their parents were like that and, she hated to admit it, Bella looked more like them than she told herself. She was glad she had never told Bella that the Hat had hesitated with her as well. She might have been a Hufflepuff, which in Bella's eyes was even worse than being a Ravenclaw, though not nearly as bad as being a Gryffindor. She shook her head to drive the thought away.

"Anyway, you're in Slytherin now," she smiled. "We're very proud of you and I'm sure Mother and Father will be too." She gave Cissy an extra hug before Cissy sat down. The Sorting Ceremony had continued and it was Leonard Blishwick's turn.

Bella eyebrows rose in surprise. "Blishwick?" she said. "As in…"

"Family of Jimbo yes," Cissy replied matter of factly. "He's really nice."

"You've met him?"

"Yes, we shared a compartment on the Hogwarts Express." She felt a sense of joy when she saw she had somehow managed to impress her elder sister.

"That's a Black all right, befriending the son of one of the great wizarding families on your very first day at Hogwarts," Bella said admiringly. "Good job Cis!"

They cheered when Leonard was indeed sorted in Slytherin, just as Ricardo had predicted. He took a seat on the other side of the tables and Cissy smiled at him. She was glad he was a Slytherin too, because it meant they would share classes.

The Ceremony went on and on. To Cissy's disappointment, Ricardo was sorted into Hufflepuff, not Slytherin. That meant they would still have some classes together, but that they couldn't really hang out. She glanced at Leonard and saw he was disappointed too.

When there was only one girl left, Geraldine poked Bella. "My god, that's Celine!"

"Celine?"

"My aunt Agnosta's daughter. We're not really close with that part of the family anymore; something to do with an inheritance, I don't know the details. I had no idea she was old enough to attend Hogwarts already."

They watched and when Celine was, much to the shock of Geraldine, sorted into Gryffindor House, headmaster Dumbledore rose from his seat. The murmuring that had been going on ceased and the Great Hall fell silent.

"To all our new students I say welcome!" professor Dumbledore spoke. "And to all of you who have returned, welcome back. The Forbidden Forest is, as the name already indicates, still forbidden for students. You may also have noticed that one of the chairs behind me is empty. Unfortunately, professor McMillan has found himself with a very nasty case of dragon pox and won't be teaching for a while. This means that, for the time being, there will be no Defense Against the Dark Arts classes."

A cheer erupted from the students. That meant more free time for the time being. Dumbledore raised his hands. "However…" he continued and everyone fell silent again.

"However," he repeated, "we try our best to find a substitute teacher as soon as possible and since we care deeply about your education, all missed lessons will have to be taken later in the year."

The students now groaned. That meant extra hours when McMillan was back and the idea of an overly filled schedule did not appeal to many students.

"Well, that's it for now. Prefects, Head Boys and Girls, you have all received the passwords for your Houses I presume?"

He looked around the Great Hall and saw that several students were nodding.

"Very well. For now, enjoy your meal!"

Out of nowhere the tables filled themselves with all kinds of food.  
"Thank goodness, I'm starving!" Andy said.

After a very copious meal, everybody sat back, relaxed and filled with food. The magical ceiling showed the stars that were also visible through the large windows. The food disappeared as quickly as it had appeared and the students began to rise.

The sisters Black linked their arms together as they walked down the stairs to the dungeons that hold the dormitories and student room of Slytherin House.

"Norwegian Ridgeback," the Prefect said and the entrance to the Slytherin common room slid open. They entered the common room, which was also silver and green. Two large snakes flanked the fireplace, in which a cosy fire burned. But the thing that was most astonishing was the sight from the windows. The Slytherin common room was situated below water level, so they had a clear view of the Black Lake and its inhabitants.

"Wow, it's beautiful!" Cissy said in awe.

"Yeah, it's not bad," Andy grinned. "Wait until you see the Giant Squid!"

A couple of Slytherin students sunk down on the comfortable couch or chairs close to the fireplace. Bella was amongst them. Some of the first years were yawning.

"I think you'd better go to bed," Geraldine advised. "Lessons start early tomorrow and it's getting rather late already.

"Hey what are ye, me mum?" one of the boys said defensively.

"Well, actually, I think she's right. I don't know about you lot, but I'm off to bed," a ginger girl said. More first years followed her example and Cissy also took off.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," Andy grinned at Cissy before she left for the dormitories.


	2. Not the new DADA teacher

2. NOT THE NEW DADA TEACHER

The three sisters saw each other briefly the next morning at breakfast. It was a cloudless day. After breakfast, all the first years were ordered to follow the professor that was to give them their first course. Slytherin and Hufflepuff had Herbology and Ravenclaw and Gryffindor were directed towards History of Magic.

The older students waited for their timetables. Year by year the students took off, to classes or for a free period. Finally, only the sixth and seventh years were left. The heads of Houses gave each student a personalised timetable.

"Bellatrix, you did very well on your OWLs last year," professor Slughorn said happily. "I just hope your NEWTs will be equally good. You'll be following Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Astronomy, Ancient Runes, Transfiguration, History of Magic and I see you also applied for Alchemy?"

Bella nodded.

"Only a small amount of students have applied but I reckon seven is enough to start the course. So that's eight subjects for you." He flicked his wand over a piece of paper and Bella's timetable appeared. "There you go. As professor Dumbledore already said yesterday evening, we currently don't have a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, so you'll have the first period off today. I do hope you'll use it to study."

Bella snorted. "We don't have any homework yet professor, so I intend to use it wisely, by doing absolutely nothing before all the works starts."

She and Geraldine walked to the castle yard. They had practically the same schedule only Geraldine hadn't chosen Alchemy as an extra subject.

"You're absolutely crazy, you know that?" she said to Bella when they were outside. "Taking on an extra subject, as if sixth year isn't hard enough as it is already!"

Bella shrugged. "Well, I can always drop it if it becomes too much. But it sounded like it could be fun. It's a pity History of Magic is obliged or I would have dropped that immediately. Gosh, it's so boring."

"There's no discussion about that, History of Magic is definitely the most boring subject anyone has ever come up with. I mean, who cares about the Troll Wars, right? Such a waste of time," Geraldine said dismissively.

As they continued their stroll across the grounds, Geraldine suddenly froze.

"What's the matter?" Bella asked, alarmed by the look of shock on Geraldine's face.

Geraldine pointed. "It's Zachary…" she muttered. Bella looked and grinned devilishly. Zachary Gray was in their year, he was also a Slytherin. Geraldine secretly had had a crush on him since before the summer holidays.

"You probably want to catch up with him, don't you? Should I call him for you?" Bella didn't wait for a reply but shouted instead: "Hey Zachary!"

Geraldine pulled her arm. "Sssh, shut up! I don't want to see him." However, Zachary had already heard Bella's greeting and came walking towards them.

"Hey Bella, Geraldine. Had a good holiday?" he said.

"Well, the usual," was Bella's answer. Geraldine quietly muttered something that sounded like "Okay." Her face was scarlet.

"How was yours?" Bella asked. Zachary began an elaborated description of his holiday in Spain but she cut him short with a gasp.

"Oh I'm really sorry. I totally forgot that professor Slughorn wanted to see me! I must go and hurry! We'll talk another time, right?"

Geraldine cast her an angry look, which Bella pretended not to have noticed. She quickly disappeared, leaving Geraldine to talk to Zachary. She smiled. _Who knows what might come of it. _The only problem now off course was that she had to find something to do on her own during the remainder of the free period. Since most people had classes and Geraldine would probably continue talking to Zachary for quite a while, she decided to head back to the Slytherin common room. She met professor Slughorn on the way who appeared surprised to see her.

"Now Bella, what are you doing inside? If I remember correctly, I thought I heard you say you wanted to do 'absolutely noting'?" He had a twinkle in his eyes.

"I'm not exactly _doing _anything right now, am I professor?" she replied with a smile. She liked Slughorn. Apart from being Head of Slytherin House, he was also the Potions teacher.

"Quite right, quite right. On you go then."

She was about to walk on, when she turned. "Professor?" she asked. "Who will be teaching Alchemy? There was no name on my schedule…"

"That'll be me," Slughorn replied. "And I have no doubt you'll do equally well on Alchemy as you do on Potions. Between you and me, you were top of the class on the OWLs last year." He winked.

Bella flushed. She knew off course she had done well on her potions exam, she had got an Outstanding, as she had for Transfiguration and Charms. But their might have been others who achieved an Outstanding.

"Who else will be taking on Alchemy professor?" she asked.

"Well, as I said this morning, only seven students applied. You're one of them off course. Then there's Archibald Hoover and Zachary Gray, also from Slytherin. Melissa Queens, she's a Hufflepuff I think, and Yennifer Allegria from Gryffindor. And two Ravenclaws, Josh Carrington and Adam Peters."

Bella snorted. She knew at least two of them we're halfbloods and even thought Melissa were a Muggle. So she had to work closely with that kind of people? She began to doubt whether it had been a good idea after all to apply for Alchemy.

Slughorn misinterpreted her snorting and said merrily: "Well, if you don't get along with one of them, we work mostly in pairs, so that should not be a problem, should it?"

"I guess not," she replied reluctantly.

"So I hope you're not thinking about dropping Alchemy after all?" He sounded a little worried and, was that disappointment she heard in his voice?

"Off course not professor," she said, even though that had just been what she had thought only an instant ago. "It wouldn't even cross my mind."

"Good, good. I'm glad to hear that. For Alchemy beholds many interesting things for those willing to learn and it would be a waste if such a talented witch as yourself would not merit from its revelations."

For Bella, he had spoken in riddles but it was obvious to her that there was more to Alchemy than she had thought and that it promised to be a most interesting subject indeed.

"I'm looking forward to the first lesson," she said pleasantly.

Professor Slughorn nodded happily. "Very well. We'll meet again later today than. For now, I will let you continue doing 'absolutely nothing', as you yourself called it." He winked again and walked away in the opposite direction.

Bella went to her dormitory to retrieve her books and was only just in time for Transfiguration.

"Where have you been?" Geraldine hissed when they took their places. "That was very mean of you, leaving me with Zachary like that."

"You wanted to get to know him better, didn't you?" Bella said innocently. "I figured this would be as good an occasion as any. But tell me, what have you talked about? _Did _you get to know him a little better?" She winked and Geraldine flushed. But before she could reply, they heard McGonagall's voice: "Silence please ladies. I'd like to start." So Bella had to wait until after class for the details of the conversation Geraldine had had with Zachary. When Geraldine found out that Zachary too was taking Alchemy she said: "If I had known that, I might have applied myself." She looked a little saddened and Bella teased her. "I thought you had to be nutters to take on an extra subject?"

"Oh shut up," Geraldine replied and Bella grinned. _Sometimes it was just so easy to get on Geraldines nerves_.

Andy had just finished a double hour of Care of Magical Creatures and her hands were sore. Professor Kettleburn had let them deal with Bowtruckles and since she wasn't that good at it, she had been bitten quite a bit. Luckily, their next lesson was Herbology. As soon as she entered the greenhouse she went to professor Sprout and asked her if she had some ointment that would take away the nagging pain in her fingers.

"Bowtruckles eeh?" Professor Sprout said when she saw Andy's hands.

"Yes, me and them don't get along that well," she replied.

Professor Sprout rummaged through the pots and plants in the cupboard and gave her a greenish ointment.

"Here, take this," she said. "It won't make the pain go away, but it will certainly make it less annoying."

Andy took the ointment, put it on her fingers and instantly felt a soothing coolness spreading over the bite wounds. "Thank you professor. It is really amazing, the things plants can do."

"That's right dear. Now, take your place, so we can get started."

When all students had taken their places and looked at her expectantly, professor Sprout cleared her throat.

"Welcome in year four students. You will find that Herbology will become more complicated, but also more rewarding with every step you take. Today's subject of study is the Elfenrank. Now, which one of you can tell me what it is and what it is used for?"

Professor Sprout looked expectantly around the greenhouse but none of the students replied.

"No one?" she said disappointed. "I would have guessed at least one person would have been able to give me the answer." She shook her head. "Apparently, you're not yet used to being back to school. But that's not something a nice essay can't solve."

The fourth years groaned. _It was the first day back at school and they already got an essay to write?_ Professor Sprout was deaf to their complaints.

"You thought this was going to be an easy year? Well you can _easily_ forget about that. We have a lot to cover this year if I want to get you ready for your OWLs next year."

For the remainder of the hour, they all worked with a lot of concentration. Elfenrank proofed to be a difficult plant to handle, since it had the tendency to crawl underneath the sleeves of your robe, making it impossible for you to cut them without cutting yourself. Andy had almost forgotten about the Bowtruckles when she was fighting with the Elfenrank. According to Professor Sprout, it was a useful plant though, used often in healing potions. For the second time that day Andy thought that plants were actually rather marvellous things.

To Cissy, everything was new and exciting. She absolutely adored the castle with all its dark and strange corners and ever-changing staircases. It had taken her quite some time to find out where all the different classrooms were, but the first week they were guided by the Head Boy or Girl if they got lost, so that helped immensely.

She had already gotten to know some of her fellow Slytherin first years and was merrily talking to a girl called Aurore Dupont. Like Cissy, Aurore was the youngest of three sisters. Aurore had long blond hair, again, much like Cissy, and the girls were about the same height. They might have been mistaken for sisters. Aurore was part Veela so she attracted attention everywhere she turned, even if she was only eleven years old. Cissy liked her a lot and they got along quite well. It was only the first day and she felt like she had already made two friends. She couldn't wait to tell Andy and Bella.

The firstyears walked over to a grass pit, where a wizard was already waiting with brooms. They had had lunch and now it was time for their first flying lesson. Off course, some of the pureblood wizards and witches had already flown a broom before, but they all had to start at zero. Cissy had had some practice with Bella, who absolutely adored flying.

She wasn't very good at it but at least she understood the basics, which was more than could have been said of some of the Muggleborn first years from Ravenclaw House. The first thing the first years had to do, was to mount their brooms and hover just above the ground. A bunch of Slytherin students laughed as one or two of the Ravenclaws fell of their broom and had to climb back up again.

By the end of the course, they had all mastered to at least stay on their broom and get a sense of what it meant not to be standing on your legs but to rely on non-gravity instead.

"In the next course we'll attempt to kick off and slow down. It is very important that you master this before you can even begin to think about actually flying," professor Pevensy said. Not everybody was happy with this.

"You mean we're not actually going to be flying?" Waldemar Avery said.

"Eventually, we will, off course. But if you don't master the basics, you'll never be able to fly to the fullest of your abilities. And with that note I'd like to end this lesson and I hope to see you all again next week."

Two weeks had past and Bella and Andy shared the opinion that this year was 'definitely harder' than last year. Both were stacked with homework already and especially Bella had to work hard in order to keep up with all the homework since she also had the extracurricular alchemy lesson to deal with. She found the subject very intriguing. Professor Slughorn had been correct when he had said that it was challenging but Bella thought she managed all right. She carefully avoided sitting next to Melissa, Josh and Yennifer and shared a table with Zachary and Archibald instead. It was hard work and they got a lot of additional homework, even more than for Potions or Transfiguration. The only good thing was that professor McMillan was still ill, so she had two extra free periods each week during which she attempted to do most of her homework.

During the weekend, a small note in silver and green was put on their common room board. It indicated that the trials for the Slytherin Quidditch Team would take place the following Saturday. Bella felt her heart make a little jump on seeing that announcement. She would just go and try, no matter what. That Saturday, she went to the Quidditch pitch, her broom in her hand. She had asked Thierry Rosier last year if she could fly, but he had laughed at her in her face, saying girls were lousy flyers and couldn't been allowed on the team. She had practised all summer and now felt confident that she flew even better than some of the players that had been on the team last year.

On entering the Quidditch pitch, she noticed that it was already rather crowded with Slytherins. She lined up with the other wannabe players and ignored the malignant smirks they gave her. _She would show them_, she said to herself. _Show them what a Black could do with a broom. And then they would not have a choice but to let her be on the team. Even if she was a girl._

When it was her turn to show her flying abilities, Thierry Rosier, who was the captain of the Slytherin Quidditch Team, snorted.

"Again, Black?" he said. "Wasn't I clear enough last year?"

But Bella stood her ground this time. "You could at least watch me fly before you make up your mind."

"If you insist on humiliating yourself, be my guest," he said sarcastically and waved his arms at the pitch. "What will it be Black, Seeker? Chaser?"

"I'd like to try it as a Beater," she said and tried to ignore the laughter that erupted from the other Slytherins that would fly that round, some experienced, some wannabes.

"Very well, if you insist. Carrow, could you be a Chaser for the time being? We wouldn't want Miss Black to denote her _talents_, would we?"

Bella clenched her fists at the denigrating remark. Thierry blew the whistle and the seven players took off. Bella soared through the sky, enjoying the feeling of thrill she experienced. A bludger came her way and she hit it with the bat. It flew across the field and nearly knocked one of the chasers of his broom.

All in all, Bella thought it had gone rather well. With a smile on her face she stepped of her broom. She sat down at one of the benches to watch the other rounds. A dodgy second year, she vaguely remembered he was the one she had taken the carriage from, was last to fly as a Beater. He flew okay but he missed to hit a bludger and also hit one with the wrong end of the bat.

When the boy descended his broom, it was time for the team selection. Thierry choose the Chasers, the Seeker and the Watcher. He himself was one of the Beaters. _This was it. Only one spot left on the team. She knew she hadn't made any mistakes, so she had as good a change as anyone to be chosen._ Thierry glanced sideways at Bella when he shouted: "Well done Kalzagiritz! You're obviously Beater material, so I'd like to welcome you as the completing member of the Quidditch team."

"What!" Bella rose from her seat. She was furious. "You're letting that git play even when you know my flying was better?"

"Your flying is rather good, considering you're a girl. But that's also your problem: you're a girl and like I said before: no girls on the team."

"You… you… pompous idiot!" she yelled. "You're so holding on to your own ridiculous ideas that you'd rather let Slytherin loose than electing the best player for the team? What's in that head of yours, flobberworms?"

"That's enough Black," Thierry said angrily. "I'm still captain of this team and I choose whoever I prefer. And as captain of this team I have the right to remove you from the Quidditch pitch so I order you to leave this instant."

She looked at him in disbelief. Then she yelled: "Fine, whatever!" She threw her broom to the ground and stalked away. She was outraged. "How dare he, I'm a Black for crying out loud," she muttered as she headed for the castle. "A Black, a blood relative through my mother, and I was way better than that git of an Kalzagiritz! And the others team let girls play too!"

She opened the door to the castle and then slammed it shut. At that moment, she absolutely hated Thierry Rosier. She felt like she needed to hit something but the only thing she encountered were the walls of the castle and she knew for a fact they didn't give in. She rounded a couple of corners, not knowing where she was heading. All of a sudden, she saw a statue of Galwyn the Great. She pulled out her wand and fired a bombarda-charm at it, pretending it to be Thierry, and felt a little more satisfied when it explodes into tiny pieces. She was still angry but the explosion of the statue had had a somewhat soothing effect on her.

Further down the hall, a door slammed and a man she had never seen before stormed out of a chamber. He had black hair and aristocratic features and was rather good-looking, if you took in account the fact that he had to be in his late thirties or early forties. He stalked in her direction, froze a moment when he saw her, and then he continued in another direction. Down in the Hall, she heard the great wooden doors of the castle slam as the stranger must have gone outside. She went to one of the large windows and saw him indeed walking to the edges of the Hogwarts grounds, where he disappeared into nothing. She recognized the phenomena, for she had seen her parents do it all the time: he had Disapparated.

Bella wondered who he was and why he was so angry. And also, what he was doing inside the castle. As far as she knew, the only people allowed in the castle were either students or staff or had received a personal invitation from the Headmaster. Seeing the state the man was in, she highly doubted that he had been here on personal invitation of Dumbledore. So that left students – which he obviously wasn't – and staff. She had a revelation. Hadn't Dumbledore said they were looking for a substitute Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, now that McMillan had been taking ill with dragon pox? Maybe this tall, handsome man would be the new substitute teacher! That would definitely be interesting. She frowned. _If he was the substitute teacher, what was he being angry about? Perhaps he wasn't the substitute teacher after all, but just someone who had applied for the job and had been turned down? Yes, that had to be it, _she decided_, just a job applicant who had been turned down._

It was a pity though, because it would have been nice to have a good-looking teacher for a change, then they would have had something to look at when the lessons were boring. Ah well, at least it meant they still had the extra free periods every week, so she didn't mind that much.

She fired another bombarda-spell at a smaller statue nearby, just because it was there. Thierry Rosier was a moron and if he refused to let her play, then that was his problem. He would find out soon enough that it had been a mistake to select Kalzagiritz, but she decided that even if he changed his mind and begged her to play, she wouldn't do it. He had had his chance and she had her pride.

_**A/N: I feel this chapter isn't really how it should be. I haven't figured out yet what needs to be altered. Suggestions, anyone?**_


	3. Cissy's birthday present

3. CISSY'S BIRTHDAY PRESENT

Bella forgot about the mysterious stranger completely in the next couple of weeks, because schoolwork took up so much of her time. Like all the other sixth and seventh year students, she secretly cursed their professors for giving them so much homework to do. More than once, they would be found in the library during their free time or sit in the Slytherin common room until far past midnight, trying to finish an essay of some kind that was due the next day. Professor McMillan had recovered from his dragon pox, so the workload had increased even more since the Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons had started again.

Andy and Cissy complained that Bella was snappy and barely had time for them and she grudgingly had to admit they were right. One rainy Saterday morning in October, she had enough of it. She cracked her muscles and stretched. She had been sitting in the same position for a while and desperately needed to do something other than homework. It was almost Halloween and the next day would be Cissy's birthday, so she figured this would be as good an occasion as any to spend some time with her sisters.

She knew what she wanted to do only somehow she doubted whether Andy and Cissy would be willing to join her. It was sort of against the rules and if they were caught there would most certainly be detention and a letter to their parents. _What was life if you didn't take a risk once in a while? Besides, the weather was perfect; no one in their right mind would be going._ She had to take precautions though. She went looking for Geraldine and told her about her plans. Geraldine looked envious.

"Can't you take me with you? Gosh, I'm dying to get out."

Bella shook her head. "I'd love to but this time I really want to spend some time with Andy and Cissy. It's Cissy's birthday tomorrow and I feel I've been neglecting them lately. Besides, you have Zachary to hang out with, right?" She grinned. After she had callously tricked Geraldine into talking to Zachary the first day back at Hogwarts, they had met several times and were now somewhat of an item. She was happy for her friend, she deserved it and she liked Zachary.

"Oh well, you're right. Go and have fun this afternoon, I'll watch out for you girls," Geraldine finally said.

"Thanks, you're the best!"

Content, she went to lunch. She couldn't tell Andy and Cissy straight ahead about her plans because they were surrounded by other students. Nonetheless, she managed to slip them a message, saying she would meet with them in the common room after lunch and could they bring their coats.

After lunch, she quickly went to the Slytherin common room. Andy and Cissy were already waiting for her when she arrived. They had their coats on and asked: "What are we going to do?"

"I think it's a nice day for a stroll around the grounds, don't you think?" she said out loud.

Andy looked at her as if she had lost her senses and said: "Have you been out today already? It's not like the weather is perfect or anything…"

Bella hushed them; there were two other Slytherins in the room. They appeared not to be paying attention, but you never could tell.

"It's a nice day to test the nonpluvius-charm I've learned," she said matter-of-factly. "Now come on, don't just stand there, follow me." She put on her own coat and led them out of the common room. Andy and Cissy followed her, curiously whispering amongst themselves. Bella didn't go to the main entrance door heading for the grounds though. Instead, she turned a few corners and led them across staircases, round a few more corners and then halted in front of the statue of a witch.

"What are we doing here?" Cissy asked. "I thought you said you wanted to go outside and test your nonpluvius-charm?"

"Ah, but I haven't said _where_ we would be doing that." Bella winked and then looked around to see if no one was in the vicinity. The hallway was clear so she tapped the hat of the witch three times and murmured '_Dissendium_'. To Andy's and Cissy's surprise, the statue swung back, revealing a dark passage way.

"This way please," Bella said and went in first. Andy hesitated, then followed, so Cissy had no choice but to follow as well.

"Now, can you tell us what we're going to do? It's a bit creepy in here…" Cissy said as they progressed through what seemed like an endless tunnel.

"That can be fixed," Bella said. "Lumos!" A tiny light appeared at the end of her wand, so they could see where they were going. Andy and Cissy followed her example.

Andy suddenly gasped. "Bella, is this… can this be… one of the secret passageways leading to Hogsmeade?" Disbelief was audible in her voice.

Bella chuckled. "Took you long enough to figure it out sis."

"But… but… I thought they were just a legend, that no one knew their exact location…" Andy voice trailed off. "Wow, you actually managed to find one…" she said, now impressed.

Cissy cut her short. "Wow, is this true Bella? We're going to Hogsmeade? Through a secret passageway no one knows about?"

Bella smiled. "That's correct. Consider it my birthday present to you. I just figured we would do something special. That, and I got bored with homework," she admitted.

"But how in Merlin's name did you to manage to find it?" Andy questioned her. "And have you been using it before?"

"I found a description about this passageway in one of the library books," she replied. "I don't remember which one and it took me ages to find the correct statue. Gosh, I must have looked like a moron last year, tapping all the statues' hats." She giggled. "Anyhow, we're almost at Honeydukes, so we have to be silent now."

Indeed, when they came out of the tunnel, they found themselves in a basement of what appeared to be a candy store. "Now, follow me."

Bella led the way and walked up the staircase. She listened at the door and indicated her sisters to follow her. She quietly opened the door and the three sisters silently passed through it. They found themselves inside Honeydukes. Cissy looked around, astonished at the diversity of sweets presented in the store.

"Now, what can I get you: Sugared Quills? Every Flavour Beans? Chocofrogs?" Bella pointed around the store. "Just say the word."

Cissy hesitated then said: "I'd love a Chocofrog, if that's okay."

"Perfect." Bella clapped her hands and took a hand full of Chocofrog boxes from one of the shelves. She went over to the counter, where an elderly wizard dozed.

"We'll take this Chocofrogs, please," she said.

The wizard awoke. "Is it time already?" He saw the Black sisters and he hurriedly stood up, knocking down the chair he had been sitting on. "Right, right, that'll be a Galleon than."

Bella placed one gold Galleon on the counter and the girls left happily, each holding two Chocofrogboxes. "Wait, I'd almost forgot. Nonpluvius!" Bella said as they left the store and walked into the streets. It was raining outside, but somehow they stayed dry.

"It actually works," Bella said, a little astonished. "Good to know. Where do you want to go to?" She had turned to Cissy who was taking in the view. She of course had never before been to Hogsmeade, since only third years and above could profit from the trips to the little town.

Cissy turned around. Her face was glowing like a lantern. "It's brilliant Bella. This is the best birthday present you've ever given me!"

"My present is nothing compared with this," Andy said sadly.

"Oh I don't think that's true," Cissy reassured her. "I'm sure I'll love your present too."

Andy didn't look convinced but let the topic rest for the remainder of the afternoon. They had a lovely time and Bella laughed more than she had done in weeks. It sure felt good to be away from homework. She knew she would regret it in the evening but right now she didn't care. She hooked her arms in those of her sisters and together they strolled the streets. Hogsmeade wasn't that big, so it didn't take long before they had seen all the local stores. They had eaten the Chocofrogs from Honeydukes and Andy had bought a new quill.

They went over to Mrs. Puddifoot's Tearoom to have a drink before they had to go back to Hogwarts. They picked a table next to the window. Just after they had ordered, Bella spotted something, or rather someone, through the window.

"That can't be right," she murmured. Andy and Cissy looked up at her. "What are you talking about?" Andy asked.

"I thought I recognized someone who was walking down the streets. I highly doubt it's the same person, but I want to go check. Are you girls okay with that? I'll be back in a sec."

They nodded and she stood up. She hurried to the door and pushed it open. She murmured the nonpluvius-charm again and scanned the street. _There he was!_ She carefully shadowed him. She just had to know for sure. Why exactly she didn't know. After all, she had only seen him once and it was not like they had talked or anything. He turned around and Bella quickly stepped back in the shades. _It was him!_ What was he still doing here, when professor McMillan had taken back his classes two weeks ago? Unfortunately, he had seen her too and had frozen where he stood, his eyes locked in hers. She figured that it would seem stupid if she pretended she hadn't seen him, so she reluctantly stepped forward from the shades.

"Euhm, hello," she said nervously.

The stranger that had stormed out of Hogwarts remained silent for a moment.

"Hello," he finally said. "Haven't we met before?"

"Yes, I think so. It was on the day… the day that…" her voice trailed away. _What could she say? The day you applied for a job at Hogwarts but got turned down? _She didn't even know if that had been the case. Suddenly, she felt really stupid for going out after him. She could just have stayed inside with Cissy and Andy, warm and cosy in the Tearoom…

The stranger didn't notice her hesitation, or pretended not to notice.

He put out a hand. "My name is Lord Voldemort."

Bella reluctantly took his hand and shook it. "Bellatrix,Black."

He looked at her with a frown. "You wouldn't happen to be related to Orion or Cygnus now would you, Bellatrix?"

"As a matter of fact I am. Cygnus is my father," she said, surprised to hear the names of her father and uncle coming from the mound of the stranger who had introduced himself as Lord Voldemort. _Why did he call himself Lord actually? As far as she knew, there were no lords in the wizarding world._

"You're correct," he said. "There are no real lords in the wizarding world. I just felt this name suited me better than my original name."

Bella flushed. "Was it that obvious that that was what I was thinking?" she asked.

"Perhaps not to everyone, but to me it was indeed very obvious."

She wasn't sure she understood the remark completely, but tried to turn the conversation to a safer subject.

"You knew my father?"

"I didn't really _know_ him but I believe he was in Slytherin at least partially at the same time as I did. You look like him."

Bella relaxed a little. _If he had known her father from Hogwarts, he couldn't be that bad, right?_ She just had to ask. "Why were you at Hogwarts the other day, when I saw you?"

He hesitated a moment, then he replied: "I'm sure you have your own ideas about that, haven't you?" He sounded amused.

This time it was Bella who hesitated. "I thought you applied for the job of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," she eventually said. She looked him straight in the eye.

To her surprise, he showed somewhat of a smile. "As a matter of fact I did. Then I presume you also predicted the outcome of the conversation I had with Dumbledore?"

She nodded.

"I figured that already. You're quite the clever witch, aren't you?"

She didn't know what to reply so she just remained silent.

"I understand professor McMillan has recovered from his dragon pox?" he informed.

"That's right."

"And, are you learning everything you want to learn?"

The question was so strange that it took her by surprise. "I guess…"

"Oh too bad. So there aren't things you would like to learn that you aren't getting taught at school? For example, what do you know about the Dark Spells?"

"Uh, we haven't learnt about them yet…"

He appeared shocked. "Not? Oh dear, things are worse than I suspected."

"Why didn't you get the job?" she asked bluntly.

"I think professor Dumbledore didn't approve of my … teaching methods."

"That's just stupid. If you can teach us what we need to know, who cares how you teach us? Dumbledore's a fool not to have hired you."

He raised an eyebrow and Bella felt she had been out of line. She started to apologize, but he lifted a hand to silence her.

"Would you like to learn more, Bellatrix? Would you truly like to understand the Dark Arts? All in order to being able more to defy them off course."

The question dangled in the air and after a moment of thought, Bella replied: "Yes, I would love to learn more. I just feel there's a lot more to the subject than they teach us at school."

"Well, they're probably scared to teach you with all the Muggles around. Who knows what they'll do with that information? But I'm sure a pureblood like yourself would see things in the right perspective. So aren't you lucky you ran into me then today?" He spread his arms. "I could teach you all the things they don't teach you at school Bella. Are you okay with me calling you Bella by the way?"

"Bella's fine," she said. "But how can you teach me when I'm at Hogwarts and you can't come in?"

"How come you're out in Hogsmeade when you're supposed to be at Hogwarts?" he retorted the question.

She flushed. No way she was going to tell him about the secret passageway to the Honeydukes' basement.

"There's another one," he said, as if he was again reading her thoughts. "You have to be brave to be able to use it, for it's entrance lies beneath the Whomping Willow."

"Really? And where does it end?" she was intrigued. The stranger, no Lord Voldemort, obviously knew his ways around Hogwarts.

"You see that little house-like building up the hill?" He pointed to a shabby wooden building. Bella nodded.

"That's where it leads to."

"I just can't believe it."

"We could practice there if you would like to. I believe in a practical approach instead of filling your head with theories. And then I could also teach you how to shield your thoughts from others, because right now, ai ai ai." He shook his head.

Bella looked shocked. _So, he actually _had _been reading her thoughts?_

"It's not exactly like reading, there's a lot more to it than that. But for the time being, 'reading' would be the most appropriate term, I think. And like I said, it's not like it's that difficult to know what you're thinking, you could just as well have been shouting out loud. It actually hurts my ears, so loud are your thoughts."

Bella was confused. She had never heard someone mention that they knew what she was thinking. She didn't even know that was possible.

She instantly wondered if all adults had this ability and if you only learnt to shield your mind when you turned seventeen. _Was this how teachers and parents knew when you had disobeyed the rules? Because they register what you were thinking?_ She immediately saw the advantages of learning how to shield her thoughts from others.

"So, what do you say, Bella, daughter of Cygnus, do you accept my offer?"

She drew herself to her full height and again looked him straight in the eyes. "Why me? There are many wizards and witches out here. So why me?" she persisted.

"My dear girl, anyone capable and brave enough to sneak off of Hogwarts just for a day of fun with siblings, is certainly destined for greatness. I've seen you after you blasted that statue, so that means you've also got the right temper. I recognize a clever student when I see one and I believe there's a lot I can teach you."

"If you can teach me things I'm not learning in school, I'll accept your offer. But I have to warn you that if you mean me harm, you picked the wrong witch to meddle with."

"Oh I can assure that that doesn't even cross my mind. I just care about your education." _Did she imagine it, or did he sound bemused?_

"I don't know how often I'll be able to come…"

"Once a month will do for the time being, I reckon. So, what do you say, shall we meet again at the final weekend of November?" When she nodded, he continued: "Very well then. For now, I wish you a good day." He saluted and carelessly strolled away.

Still a little confused, Bella went back to the Tearoom. Andy and Cissy greeted her with a worried look on their faces. "What took you so long?" Cissy said. "We thought something had happened to you."

"It's nothing, I'm fine. Really," she said when she saw their faces.

"Your tea'll be cold by now," Cissy said in a soft voice.

Bella felt the teacup; it had indeed lost most of its warmth.

"You're right, of course. Look, I'm sorry I made you worry about me. But now I'm back, I'm unharmed, so we can just continue our afternoon, right?"

She took a sip of her tea and pulled a face. "Yuck, cold tea is really nasty." She dashed the remainder of the tea beside one the potplants in the window.

The atmosphere around the three of them had changed, so eventually they decided they might better just be heading back to Hogwarts.

"After all, we have to go to Honeydukes, be able to sneak into his cellar, follow the tunnel… We just have to go now, otherwise we won't be in time for supper," Bella defended her decision to break up the party.

"I guess you're right," Andy said. "Too bad, it was perfect not to be thinking about homework for a change." She sighed. "Let's go back."

The sisters walked back to Honeydukes and wondered how they were ever going to go inside the store unnoticed. As they soon found out, entering the sweet store was the easiest part. A witch, equal in age as the wizard they had encountered earlier that day, only much more vigilant than her husband, had taking over from him. She guarded the store like a bird guards his nest. Bella began to fear they just might have to fight her to get to the cellar, when a tall, dark haired wizard entered the shop. Bella didn't have to look to know who it was and used the diversion to usher her sisters to the door of the cellar. They managed to sneak into the cellar and when the door closed behind them with a soft click, they tiptoed down the stairs. Bella lifted the hatch and Andy went first into the tunnel. She would guide Cissy and Bella followed.

"Lumos!" the three witches whispered, this time prepared for the darkness. Bella closed the hatch hastily but checked if it was closed indeed. They shuffled as quickly as they could through the passage until they came to a wall.

"Could you lend me a light?" Bella asked. Andy and Cissy held their illuminated wands close whilst Bella whispered 'Nox' to her own wand, which immediately extinguished. She felt the wall with her hands. It didn't take long to find the spot she was looking for. She pointed her wand and tapped the wall three times, just as she had done before with the statue of the witch. A door appeared and she softly pushed it open a bit.

She peeped her head through the opening and scanned the halls. Of course, they could only climb out when there was no one around, otherwise they would be brought to professor Slughorn immediately. And with her newfound information that some people could hear your thoughts, Bella felt this would be a bad time for them to get caught. Luckily for them the hallway appeared to be empty and after another quick glance, the three sisters darted through the door. Bella closed it and the wall became solid again.

They brushed the dust from their robes.

"This truly was amazing," Cissy said once again.

"Absolutely worth it," Andy admitted. "Just, next time when you find out something like this, just let me know, right? If only I had known this passageway existed…"

Bella grinned. "And spoil the surprise? Nah, some secrets just have to be kept until it's time to reveal them."

The sisters giggled and returned to the Slyterin common room. Bella was pleased. She had just loved the look on her sisters' faces when they arrived at Hogsmeade. It had been nice to spend some time together, no parents, no teachers, and no other students, just the three of them. It had definitely been a good idea to do this.


	4. Practical magic

4. PRACTICAL MAGIC

After their trip to Hogsmeade, Andy and Bella seemed more relaxed. The mere thought of having clandestinely sneaked out of Hogwarts without anyone noticing uplifted their spirits. For Cissy, it was more difficult, for she constantly had to be aware not to let any details of what she had seen in Hogsmeade slip. After all, first years were not allowed in Hogsmeade so if she would talk about it, they would find out she had been there illegally. The trip created a an even stronger bond between the three sisters; they now shared a secret, one they were bound to use again later. In the days that followed the trip, Bella wondered if everyone could read their secrets from their thoughts, but even though McGonagall casted her a strange look, they had heard nothing about it from any of the teachers.

As December neared, Bella began to question her decision to go and meet this Lord Voldemort, in a building at the edge of Hogsmeade. Should she actually go on with this? She was sure the man would understand, but imagined herself that he would also be disappointed if she didn't show op. Why was that even important to her? _Because she was a Black off course_, she told herself firmly. _And Blacks kept their promises. Besides, he knew Father._

So in the end she decided she would go after all, just to see what he had to offer. The weather accommodated her plans well; due to terrible weather, the Quidditch match between Ravenclaw and Slytherin had been moved to exactly the weekend Bella had agreed to meet 'the other teacher', as she called him silently. She still wasn't speaking to Thierry Rosier and she was nagging Kalzagiritz whenever she had the opportunity, so no one was surprised if she wouldn't go to watch it. When the Slytherins all prepared for the game, Bella left for her dormitory, stating she didn't feel well. Andy opened her mouth for she thought she knew what Bella's actual plan was, but closed it again. After all, it had been Bella who had discovered the secret passageway, so it was only fair that she should use it once in a while.

Reluctantly, Andy walked over to the Quidditch Pitch to see the match. She felt strangely alone. Bella had stayed in the dormitory and would most likely use the spare time to visit Hogsmeade once more. Cissy had already gone to the Pitch with her new friends and since Amelia was a Ravenclaw, she couldn't sit with her either. For the first time it hit her that most of her friends where in Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff or Gryffindor and that she didn't really hang out with anyone from Slytherin besides her sisters. Come to think of it, she couldn't remember when she had even talked to the other girls in her dormitory, other than the regular small talk. It had never bothered, because she had always had Bella and Geraldine. _Maybe she needed to do something about her social life_, she concluded. _And why not start straight away?_

She sat down next to boy from her year who's name was Tao Lee and who had been talking to his friends when she arrived. He looked at her for a brief moment, then turned around to continue talking to his friends. The message was very clear; he had no interest in talking to her whatsoever, even though they had a lot of classes together. But Andy persisted. If she wanted to do this, she just had to swallow the pill.

"Hey Tao, Lucas, Irvine" she said to Tao and his friends. "What do you think the outcome will be? With what score will we defeat Ravenclaw?"

She now had their attention. They had to react; she had obviously addressed them, so they couldn't pretend they hadn't heard her.

"Two hundred to zero," the boy named Irvine said with certainty.

"I don't know. Haythorn isn't in his best shape, so I reckon we'll be lucky if we make it to one hundred and fifty to ten. And that's only if Jacobs catches the Snitch in the first minute," Tao said.

"No way, man, are you out of your mind?" Lucas shouted. "Haven't you seen the spectacular safe at last weeks training? Haythorn'll keep his goals empty, I'm sure of it. I've got my money placed at one hundred and seventy to zero."

The three boys got into a heated conversation. Andy smiled. They hadn't _really_ involved her in the conversation, but she somehow still felt part of it.

After a couple minutes of arguing, Lucas suddenly turned to her. "What have you got your money set on?"

The arguing stopped and all three of them now looked at her. Andy felt uncomfortable. "I haven't set my money on anything," she began. The boys howled. "I haven't set my money on anything, but if I had done, it would have been on three hundred to eighty."

They looked at her in shock. "You mean you think Haythorn will let eight goals through?" Irvine said in disbelief.

"I'm sorry, I'm with Tao on this one," she apologised. "I've seen Haythorn this last couple of days and he looked like dragon dung. I'm surprised he's not lying sick in his bed. I don't think he'll be able the keep the rings clean."

Lucas shook his head but before he could say anything, the voice of the commentator announced that the match was about to begin. "We'll see who's right," he whispered.

Unfortunately for Slytherin, Andy's observations had been far more adequate than Lucas'. It was even worse than she had predicted. Haythorn's face was a weird shade of green and sometimes it looked like he was about to vomit. Most Quaffles went past him through the hoops, without him being able to stop any of them. When they were halfway in the match, Slytherin was already behind with one hundred and ten points to thirty. The Slytherins scowled and yelled at the team to give it their best. But alas. Jacobs did catch the Snitch but by then the Ravenclaws had scored nine more goals and the Slytherins only one, so the game ended at the very depressing outcome of one hundred and ninety to one hundred and eighty.

"We were so close!" Tao said afterwards.

Irvine shook his head. "We were never close. We didn't stand a change. And the worst part is, it wasn't even all Haythorn's fault. That little kid, the new Beater? He missed every single Bludger sent his way!"

Andy ranted with them. It felt strangely nice to be discussing Quidditch with her classmates, even though today was the first actual conversation she had shared with them since first year.

"I mean, I saw that sixth year fly at the trials… She made an absolute fool of herself showing up and I'm all against girls on the Quidditch Team but I think she would have done a lot better today than the git we got stuck with now!" Lucas said.

Andy froze. They didn't immediately notice but then they stopped. "What's up?" Tao said. Andy shook her head.

"Wait. The girl on the trials…" comprehension dawned on Irvine's face. "She's your sister, isn't she? I think I've seen the two of you hang out together."

There was no denying it. Andy nodded. She felt as if the little friendliness between them had instantly been gone, but to her surprise Lucas said: "She's got one hell of a swing to her beating, I wished I could do that. I swear, if she had been a boy, she would definitely have made it to the team, no doubt about it."

Andy shrugged. "I'll pass the message," she said dryly and grinned. After a moment, Tao grinned back and then they all started to laugh, Andy included.

"Come on y'all, I've got a stack of Butterbeer in the dormitory, smuggled it out of Hogsmeade last time. Anyone care for a drink?"

Andy walked with them, talking and laughing, as if they had been friends since forever. It was nice that they accepted her so easily; she would never have guessed that. They were fun and she enjoyed their company, another thing she would never have guessed_. I need to remind to thank Bella, after all, if she hadn't been going to Hogsmeade today, I might never have dared this._

Meanwhile, Bella had indeed waited for everyone to go the Quidditch match before trying to get to Hogsmeade. She hadn't figured out yet how to get past the Whomping Willow but if there really was a secret passageway then sure it should not be that difficult? She couldn't have been more wrong; it proved very difficult to get past the Whomping Willow or even to find the entrance. After she had nearly escaped an attack from the tree a couple of times, she finally spotted a hole underneath the tree that was bound to be the entrance. She managed in the end but she was sure she would feel sour for a couple of days, being beaten by the tree on her way in. _Why again was she doing this?_ However, once she got inside the hole and saw that it actually _was _a passageway, her spirits lifted instantly. Actually, this was kind of exciting and adventurous…

The end of the passageway was locked with a hatch, just like the one leading to Honeydukes had been. She pushed it and it gave way, so she climbed up.

"There you are," a voice said. "I was beginning to doubt you'd come."

"I had some… problems with the Whomping Willow," she said reluctantly.

"Didn't I tell you to hit the knob on the bark?"

"No you didn't."

"Well, now you know, so I reckon it shouldn't be a problem anymore next time."

Bella remained silent, asking herself how he could be so sure there would be a next time.

He chuckled and she shivered at the sound of it. It didn't sound… human, strangely enough. She shook her head. No, she must be imagining things.

"Are you ready to start on the basics?" he said.

"Off course I am. I wouldn't be here if I wasn't."

"Very well. What has been treated during your Defence against the Dark Arts lessons so far? No, I don't need an elaborated, detailed description of everything you have ever talked about during those six years," Lord Voldemort said coldly when Bella had opened her mouth. "Just, tell me about this year. I've been at Hogwarts, so if the program hasn't changed too much, professor McMillan should teach you about the same things I learned in year six from professor Merryweather."

Bella thought for a moment. "Well, we've dealt with Werewolves, Fwoopers, Ashwinder Eggs and off course the counter spells for some of the hexes and curses."

Lord Voldemort's eyes had moved when she mentioned the Ashwinder Eggs, but now that she was finished, he shook his head. "Still no practical lessons then I see."

"What do you mean?" she said. "We're practising how to defeat creatures and how to block spells…"

"My point exactly. How can you fully block a spell if you don't know anything about its power? You learn how to deal with magical creatures because they are brought to class so you can work with them. You learn how to handle plants simply by handling them in the greenhouses. No teacher in their right mind would teach young witches and wizards how to handle a Venomous Tentacula without bringing some of these plants into the greenhouses, and when you were taught about Fwoopers, I'm quite certain there were a few of them in class as well. So why is it that when it comes to curses, you're supposed to block them without someone actually uttering them at you?"

Bella had to think about that. "That's a good question," she eventually said.

"I have been asking myself the same question when I left school, so after I graduated I found myself a wizard in Albania who was willing to teach me. Just as I'm about to teach you right now."

"Well, let's get started then," Bella said eagerly.

"I like it that you're so enthusiastic. I've taken the liberty to bring a couple of leeches for you to practice on. I hope you're not discomforted by them?"

When Bella shook her head, he pulled a jar filled with leeches out his pocket He placed the jar on a table. Bella couldn't help but to keep watching at it.

"We'll start with an easy jinx," he said. "I'm pretty sure it is still in use amongst students who have a quarrel with one another, but it's just to get you started." He took out a leech, murmured 'Engorgio' and the leech doubled in size. "This will help making the effects more visible. Now, the spell we're testing looks a bit like the one I've just used. The incantation is 'engorgio skullus' and you wave your wand like this." He flicked his wand and pronounced the incantation. The head of the leech grew extensively. "The counter jinx to this spell is 'redactum skullus'. You use almost the same wand movement but with a slight difference." He showed her the movement and the counter-jinx and Bella grinned. _This could actually be fun. She hadn't seen the spell being used before but it looked very promising to try it out on, say, a Thierry Rosier._

She took out her wand and mimicked the movement and words she had just seen and heard from Lord Voldemort. The first time she tried, there hardly was any change. The second time, she spoke too aggressively and the leech' head blew up like a balloon and then exploded with a big bang. Bella shrieked.

"Don't worry, don't worry. That happens all the time. We have plenty of leeches." He took out a new one from its glass imprisonment and enlarged it. "There you go."

This time, she managed to master the spell and the leech' head blew up just like it had done when Lord Voldemort had shown her. She turned the leech back to normal with a sigh.

"I see you can already see the benefits of knowing both the jinx and anti-jinx here, don't you? And the best part about this spell is, it also works the other way round." He said 'redactum skullus' and the leech' head shrunk to half its size. It looked very odd. She enlarged it with the 'engorgio-spell' and its head took its normal size again.

Bella now really began to have fun with this. She shrunk and enlarged the leech' head at random and giggled each time it transformed.

After some time, Lord Voldemort stopped her. "I think you master these jinxes now. I would like for you to practice another one, which is also still rather harmless. It's called the antler spell and I bet you can already predict what it does?" he looked at her as if waiting for an answer.

"Judging by its name, I would guess that it makes someone sprout antlers?"

"Correct. Very useful if you want to jinx someone you don't like, since there is no real counter-jinx so the subject to the jinx will have to have the antlers removed at the hospital wing, which will take up to one or two days."

Bella chuckled. She would so _love_ to try them on Kalzagiritz or on a Muggle student in one of the other houses. _How absolutely ridiculous they would look!_

"The incantation for this spell is 'anteoculatia'. The wand movement is a little complicated, since it consists of two different movements." He showed her several times and then spoke the incantation to the spell. Immediately, the leech grew antlers.

Now Bella laughed out loud. The leech looked totally ridiculous. She couldn't wait to try it out herself. Lord Voldemort placed the leech in a corner, took out another one and enlarged it before handing it to Bella.

"Antocula," she said. The leech head suddenly had two extra eyes. "Oh my, that was absolutely not what I intended." She said nervously.

"Not a problem." He discarded the now four-eyed leech like he had done with the other failed cases and presented her with a new one out of the jar.

This jinx proved to be a lot more complicated than the head-enlarging and head-reducing spell. It took Bella eight times to make a full set of antlers sprout from the leech' head. She repeated it a couple more times and the pile of disfigured leeches at the corner of the room grew simultaneously.

When he thought she mastered the jinx well enough, Lord Voldemort finished the lesson. It was already starting to get dark, so if they didn't stop now, she would not be back in time for dinner and would most surely have to answer all kinds of questions.

Bella was disappointed. She experienced a strange pleasure on learning some 'reasonably harmless' jinxes, as Lord Voldemort called them, and to know that from now on, she would have a counter weapon if anyone dared to cross her. It felt powerful. However, she hadn't forgotten about their first conversation in Hogsmeade.

"I thought you promised me you would teach me how to shield my thoughts from others?" she said frowning.  
"That, my dear Bella, will unfortunately have to wait until our next session. That is, if you want to continue off course," he smirked.

She knew he already knew the answer to that question but replied nonetheless. "I would love to learn more."

He nodded curtly. "Shall we make this our monthly meeting then?" he asked.

Bella almost replied 'yes', then changed her mind. "Next month, it will be the Christmas holidays at the end of the month. So I won't be at Hogwarts."

"Ah off course. Christmas… how could I have forgotten?"

To Bella, this was a strange remark. _How could anyone just forget about Christmas?_

"How about the end of January?" she suggested.

"Hmm, that'll have to do then I presume," he replied. "But I'll give you homework to do. Practise the jinxes on beetles, leeches, anything you can find. And if during these two months anyone annoys you, assaults you or do anything disrespectful, just use one of the jinxes you've learnt today. They wouldn't dare to cross you afterwards."

Bella promised she would practice. She greeted Lord Voldemort and opened the hatch to go back to Hogwarts through the passageway that ended underneath the Whomping Willow.

Even though his manners were cold, Bella decided she liked the man. And he could definitely teach her some interesting magic.

In the weeks to come, she secretly practised the jinxes when she was alone. She got better at it and could now perform them flawlessly. She also had, once again, a lot of homework to do for her regular subjects.

One evening, Cissy asked her if she wanted to play a game of wizard's chess. She almost said 'no' but changed her mind. She really liked wizard's chess and Cissy was actually rather good at it, even though she was four years younger. "Sure," she replied instead with a smile.

"Great!" Cissy shouted. "I'll just go and fetch the board and pieces then."

A couple of moments later, she arrived with a chessboard and a wooden box filled with chess pieces. It was the present she had gotten from their parents on her birthday.

"I have played with classmates, but they're absolutely hopeless," she told Bella when she arranged the pieces. "It's not that difficult, is it? Why can't they just learn it?"

Bella didn't reply to the question, but laughed instead.

"At least _you_ will give me some competition before losing," Cissy mocked her.

"Yeah? Well, I intend to win this time, so buckle up," Bella teased back.

Soon, they were caught in an endearing game of wizard's chess. Cissy had become an even better player than Bella had accounted her for, so she had rather a hard time keeping up with her.

"Bella, do you know what's up with Andy?" Cissy all of a sudden said.

"What do you mean, what's up with Andy?"

"I don't know, but she seems so absentminded lately. I mean, not like in the I-have-a-lot-of-homework-kind of way but… The other day for example; she asked me if I wanted some pumpkin juice so I held out my cup. She poured out the juice with a vague expression on her face and just poured it all next to the cup. I had to shout at her to make her realise something wasn't going as it should be."

Bella raised an eyebrow. "That doesn't sound like Andy at all. Are there other things?" She was a bit concerned now. Andy was usually very accurate.

Cissy told her about one or two more occasions on which she thought Andy had been behaving oddly and Bella's frown grew deeper.

"I didn't want to bother you with it at first, you being all busy with homework and such…" Cissy apologetically said. "But I'm happy I caught you alone tonight because I actually really wanted to talk about it. I'm worried Bella. What if something is the matter with her?"

Bella stood up and hugged Cissy. "I'm very glad you told me," she said. "I'm sorry I haven't been more available lately." She felt guilty. _If Cissy had noticed, surely she should have had noticed too, didn't she?_

"I'll go and talk to her," she promised Cissy. "Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on her."

Cissy looked relieved. "Let's just both keep an eye on her. After all, she is our sister."

The other day, Bella took Andy aside and asked her if something was wrong. Andy assured her she was feeling fine, she wasn't in a row with a classmate, she had no longer an excessive amount of homework and she was exited about the upcoming holidays.

"So, there's nothing bothering you?" Bella persisted. "Because if there is, just tell me. Cissy and I are worried about you, you don't seem yourself lately." _Cissy noticed, I was to busy with my own business,_ she thought guiltily, but not voicing this out loud.

"No need. Everything's perfect," Andy reassured her again. "Actually more than perfect." She smiled mysteriously but refused to tell more.

In the final week before the Christmas holidays Bella found out why it was that Andy had been behaving oddly. She and Geraldine took a shortcut to go to their Charms lesson, when she spotted a couple sitting close together, holding hands. She recognized the boy as being a Muggleborn from Ravenclaw. And the girl looked a lot like… _but that could not be right! _The girl bore a striking resemblance to Andy…

"Andy?" she asked astonished.

The girl quickly let go of the boy's hand and lifted her head. She looked bewildered at Bella.

"Bella, I… I can explain…"

"What is there to explain?" the boy asked. "Why do you even need to account for your acts to your sister?"

"My sister's a Black. Blacks don't associate with Muggles," Bella said haughtily and narrowed her eyes.

"And you think your sister is incapable of making that decision for herself?" He got up, angry now. He ignored Andy pulling the sleeve of his robe. "Why don't you mind your own business?"

Bella was astounded by his tone. She felt she too was getting angry. "How dare you speak to me like that? I'll teach you to keep away from my sister." Without actually realizing it, she had drawn her wand and before she could stop herself, she heard herself shout 'anteoculatia!'.

The boy sank to the ground, howling with pain. Antlers were starting to grow out of his head. Both Andy and Geraldine looked at her with frightened faces. Then Andy got furious. "Bella what are you playing at! Make it undone, right now!"

"I… I don't know how…" she mumbled.

Andy shot her a look of pure hatred and Bella backed away, looking shocked at the scenery before her. Andy touched the boys shoulder. "Ted? Are you okay?"

"Leave me alone!" he growled.

"Ted?"

"I said LEAVE ME ALONE! You're just as crazy as she is." Ted looked terrified and this time it was Andy's turn to back away. Ted got up and stalked away. "You'll hear from this, insane witch!" he yelled.

Andy started running after him. "Ted, wait!"

He turned. "What's your problem, don't you speak English? LEAVE ME ALONE! It's over, do you hear me? I never want anything to do with you anymore, you hear me? You and your freakish family!" He turned back and continued striding towards the castle, without looking back afterwards.

Andy stood forlorn for a moment, then turned furiously to Bella.

"What on earth did you just do? Why can't you just once mind your own business without driving away someone who's important to me?" she raged.

Bella had regained a grip on her senses and said: "Look, I'm sorry. But he's a Muggle and you heard to way he talked to me…"

"So? You had no right to interfere! Don't think you can just boss me around and tell me what to do!" Andy shouted. Tears were streaming down her face.

"What are getting all worked up about? He's a Muggle and sure, he'll have to walk around with antlers some days, but that gives you a nice opportunity to mingle with someone more appropriate for you. There are plenty of pureblood wizards at Hogwarts."

"Aaaargh, you're so arrogant!" Andy yelled in frustration. "You think you know it all! Well, you have nothing to say about me!" she had drawn her wand as well. The two sisters stood vis-à-vis each other, wands drawn and a look of rage on their faces.

"Girls! What in Merlin's name is going on here?" The sharp voice of professor McGonagall quickly came closer. Both sisters let down their wands a little.

"Why are your wands drawn?" she asked, looking stern.

Bella and Andy looked at each other with disgust but neither of them spoke a word.

"Very well then. You'll both come with me. Miss Zabini, to your class, immediately," she ordered Geraldine who quickly walked away, relieved that McGonagall left her out of this. Bella saw her shake her head and when she looked back at Andy who still had a scornful expression on her face, everything started to sink in. _Andy had a boyfriend. And he was a Muggle_. She didn't quite know which part she felt more strongly against, Andy having a boyfriend before she did, or the fact that said boyfriend was a Muggle.

"Follow me girls," McGonagall said sternly. She didn't wait to see if they were indeed following her but she needn't. They followed her inside the castle, avoiding to look each other in the eyes.

"Well? Is any of you going to tell me what's going on between you?" McGonagall asked when they were seated in an empty classroom.

They still didn't talk.

Andy opened her mouth but was interrupted when the door to the classroom opened.

Professor Sprout entered and walked hastily to professor McGonagall. She whispered agitatedly with great hand gestures and professor McGonagall's face turned even graver than it had been before.

"That changes matters," she said solemnly. "Andy, you can go to your common room. Bella, I would like to have a word with you."

Andy walked out of the classroom without looking back at Bella.

"Why in Merlin's name did you do that?" Professor McGonagall questioned Bella. "Poor Ted, he'll have to stay in the hospital wing for a couple of days, and that with Christmas approaching rapidly!"

"I'm sorry professor," Bella mumbled whilst looking at the tips of her shoes.

"Don't be sorry to me, be sorry for Ted! Where did you get that spell from anyway?" professor McGonagall asked suspiciously. "It is not taught in any of the Hogwarts lessons…"

"I… I got it from a book," Bella replied. She felt that now wasn't the time to be honest, she was sure professor McGonagall would not approve of her extracurricular activities and then she would also have to tell her about sneaking out of Hogwarts through the secret passageway.

"Look at me when you speak," professor McGonagall said coldly. For a moment Bella feared she might be trying to read her thoughts, but the professor showed no evidence of that.

"It mentioned antlers and I thought it would be fun, seeing as it is almost Christmas and all," Bella continued. "But I hadn't expected actual antlers to grow out of his head professor, honestly."

Professor McGonagall didn't look convinced. "So you come across a spell that you don't know, and you figured you might just try it out, without knowing what it did?"

She said almost exactly what Lord Voldemort had said, so Bella inhaled sharply.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have," she said.

"Anyway, you'll receive detention of course. And I think writing some lines would do you good as well but that's for professor Slughorn to decide. Honestly Bella, you disappoint me. I thought more of you. You're such an adept student! And then this…" she shook her head. Her lips were no more than a thin line and her eyes were narrowed.

Bella looked at the floor again. Even though professor McGonagall was Head of Gryffindor House and not of Slytherin House, she had always respected her and before, she had felt that McGonagall also had some respect for her because she was one of the best in Transfiguration. But now, all that was gone and professor McGonagall was disappointed in her. Andy hated her and Geraldine probably thought she was some kind of freak. If she could have sunken into the ground that very moment, she would have. She had never felt more miserable in her life.


	5. Come winter come spring

5. COME WINTER, COME SPRING

Bella indeed received detention, but professor Slughorn decided she would have to do that after the Christmas holidays. As professor McGonagall had said, he also gave her lines to write, which she had to hand in before the holidays. Andy didn't look at her most of the times and if she did, it were looks filled with rage. Cissy hadn't really captured what had happened, but the rumours were buzzing around the school, so she soon found out about it. She decided that, for the time being, she wouldn't bother with either of them, since spending time with one of them resulted in foul looks from the other one and vice versa. So she just stayed out of it. However, she wanted to shout at her sisters to act normal. She didn't. But she felt abandoned by her sisters and didn't like it at all they she couldn't talk to either of them, all because they choose to have a quarrel.

The Christmas holidays had started but it wasn't the usual merriness that comes with Christmas. The atmosphere at home was so thick you could almost cut it with a knife. Cygnus and Druella tried to figure out what was wrong with their daughters but neither of them told them what was going on between them. Andy didn't because she felt that her parents would be on Bella's side and that they would scorn her associating with a Muggle. Bella didn't, for almost the same reason; she didn't want to add their parent's anger to Andy's distress. And Cissy didn't either, because she felt it wasn't her fight and she didn't want to get in the middle of it. Either way, everybody in the Estate was relieved when school started again.

Andy wasn't to happy being back at Hogwarts. She was still angry with Bella. Off course she had known that Bella, like her parents, wasn't a great fan of Muggleborn witches and wizards. That was why she had hesitated to tell Bella about Ted. But she would never have expected the things that had happened before the holidays. Bella's spell had hurt not only Ted but Andy as well be it that her pain was emotional, not physical. She had tried to talk to Ted, in the days after the event and also in the weeks after the Christmas holidays, but he had hold on to the fact that he didn't want anything to do with her anymore. Most of the time he just ignored her and she missed his company. However angry she was with Bella, she was also disappointed in Ted. She was not her sister and the fact that he didn't want to look past that had hurt her perhaps even the most. She had cried herself to sleep for over a week so she looked ashen. She found herself wondering now and then, that if Ted had been a pureblood wizard, none of this would have happened. She wouldn't have had to hide him from her family, Bella wouldn't have gotten mad and she and Ted would still be together.

Things between her and Amelia had cooled down a bit to. After all, Amelia was a Ravenclaw as well. But it didn't last long. Amelia was too good a friend to abandon her.

"He's still talking about it, you know," one day she said to Andy.

"What does he say about me?" Andy asked eagerly.

"Well, he doesn't actually talk much about you," Amelia replied after a little hesitation. "It's more like… he keeps recounting the details, of how Bella had drawn her hand, how much it had hurt when it happened, how miserable he had felt in the hospital wing…"

Andy got angry. "Fine! If that's all he talks about, then maybe he wasn't the guy I thought he was. He can just drop dead, l couldn't care less about what happens to him!" Off course this wasn't true and they both knew it, but Amelia didn't speak it out loud.

Weeks went by and slowly the hurt began to lessen. Andy had thrown herself to her schoolwork and got high grades on every assignment she handed in.

For Bella, a period of detention arrived with the start of the new term. She would have detention for two full weeks and every evening the teachers gave her another boring task to do. It was a miracle that Geraldine still wanted to talk to her, though she didn't quite sound the way she did when they had talked before. Bella missed that but she felt that Geraldine eventually would come round. Andy still wouldn't look at her, but ultimately she had to come around too, hadn't she? She couldn't be mad forever, not with that Ted boy walking around the castle without his antlers anymore. He had spent three full days in the hospital wing but was now completely recovered. Nothing remained to be seen about his 'distransfiguration' as he himself called it. [i]The little brat.[/i] Not every remark Bella got was negative though. Some Slytherins had grinned at her when re-entering Hogwarts, congratulating her on 'outsmarting a Muggle' and others had even asked her if she could teach them.

Due to all this rumour, Bella began to doubt the 'other teacher'. She had thought about using the antler-spell on a Muggle student, just so they would look absolutely ridiculous but the effect was far from satisfactory. Yes, he had looked ridiculous with those antlers but it hadn't been as much fun as she had anticipated. Somehow using the spell on a leech was rather different than using it on a fellow student…

Nonetheless, she decided she would go to their appointment for the end of January, if only to announce that it would be the last time she would show up. After all, he had promised to elaborate her knowledge on Defense Against the Dark Arts and how to shield her mind from others, not how bully other students.

She went early to the Shrieking Shack, determined to arrive there before Lord Voldemort did. She didn't fully achieve that, since they arrived about the same time.

"I'm quitting," she told him straight away. "I don't want to be looked at as that freakish kid who jinxes you whenever she has the chance."

"Whohow," Lord Voldemort interrupted. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about those jinxes you told me to practise whenever someone annoyed me."

"They're harmless," he said. "Everybody used them on each other in my days."

"Well, not anymore," she replied wearily but she had calmed down a bit already. If the students in his days had used them all the time, then there could be little harm in them, couldn't it?

"Okay, so let's stick to the curriculum then today, shall we?" He waited for her to reply and Bella nodded hesitantly.

"Very well. Last time we spoke each other, you told me about some of the subjects treated during the Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons. What have you learned since then, what are you currently working on?"

"We have been treating the counter spell to 'neurintio'," Bella replied.

"As good a spell as any to start our lessons with," Lord Voldemort said. "So, like I've said before, we're going to practice first and foremost the curse itself. I've brought beetles this time, instead of leeches." He took out a jar similar to the one he had brought last time, filled with multi-coloured beetles.

"Neurintio is amongst the lesser dark spells. The subject to this curse will be much more sensitive to pain, so it is often used to intensify a torturing," Lord Voldemort lectured.

Bella shivered at the word 'torturing'.

"In it's own, it's not that harmful, but combined with another Dark Spell it can prove lethal." He had grasped a beetle and enlarged it as he spoke. "The subject will cringe due to the enlarged neurofunctions." While he spoke, he flicked his wand and a ray of purple left his wand and hit the beetle. Bella watched eagerly what would happen.

"If you as much as touch it right now, it will experience a lot of pain. Come on child, you're here to learn, aren't you?"

She slowly approached and touched the beetle softly with the tip of her finger. It shrieked in agony and Bella quickly withdrew her hand.

"Now you try it." He showed her the movements and repeated the pronunciation of the spell.

Slowly, Bella took out her wand and mimicked his movements. When she figured she understood the movements, she uttered the spell. Her wand spurted a dash of purple at the already hit beetle.

"You're a bit wicked, aren't you?" he said bemused. "The creature doesn't have any nerve system left if you hit it twice." His hand approached the beetle but before he could touch it, the beetle shrieked of an excruciating pain. "See?"

Bella had turned white. [i]If being hit twice meant no one could even approach you without you feeling pain, then what would happen if you were hit with the spell and then hit by a torture curse?[/i]

Lord Voldemort took out another beetle. "Here, try again."

She repeated the movement and the incantation and another ray of purple spurted from the tip of her wand. Every time he gave her another beetle, but the results were the same: she had only to touch the beetles barely or they shrieked in agony.

The more she practised, the more she wanted to practise. It was strange, but it was as if by mastering the spell she now [i]understood[/i] it, like it was part of her. She was dazed by the effect of using the spell and Lord Voldemort now said it was enough for the day. Reluctantly, she obeyed. Something had changed in the atmosphere during her lesson. Lord Voldemort seemed very pleased with her achievements and she was happy he was content. She assured herself she would do even better next time.

"I see we have again skipped the shielding," he said. "We'll start with it first thing, at our next meeting."

Bella only mildly objected. Next time was fine as well, wasn't it? And February was a rather short month, so it wouldn't take long before she would have another lesson.

It wasn't until she was back in the Slytherin common room and had been able to clear her mind a bit that she realised that this was the second time he hadn't taught her the shielding charm, even though he had now promised her three times that she would learn it. There was no way she was going to let that happen again.

At the end of January, professor Flitwick had a surprise for the fourth year students. He waited for everyone to be seated, cleared his throat and said: "In all my years of teaching, I've found that the attention of my fourth year students seems to somewhat… drift away when February approaches. The excitement of learning new spells wears off and your OWLs seem far away. So, it's seems only natural that you start talking about other things during my classes. You shall not believe how similar those conversations are over the years nor how anybody seems to think theirs is definitely more interesting than what I have to tell. And Rowena here is kind enough to demonstrate my every word." He addressed a blond haired Hufflepuff, who had been whispering to her friend. She turned scarlet and several students started to laugh. Even professor Flitwick smiled. "Thank you Rowena for illustrating my words," he said dryly. More people laughed.

"However," he continued and the laughter died away, "this is off course not a desirable evolution. Not something I encourage I would say. Therefore, I have decided to give you all a task."

The students now leaned in closer, interested by his words. What could it be?

"Starting Monday, each week an object will be hidden somewhere in the castle. You will have to use whatever spell you know to find it and bring the object to class. I will not tell you what it looks like, but you will recognise it when you find it."

The students looked each other, a little disappointed. [i]That's[/i] the great challenge? A game of hide and seek? They were fourth years, for crying out loud!

"Ah, I know what you're thinking! You're thinking: old Flitwick must have lost his mind, don't you?" he waved his finger like saying no. They felt uneasy now, for that was exactly what they had been thinking.

"Maybe you won't think me that strange anymore when I tell you that the students that are to find said object receive fifty points for their House?"

The message had an effect similar to a 'quietus'spell multiplied by ten. The students were dead silent. Fifty points. That sure was worth the trouble.

"That's right. Fifty points. Fifty points, every week from now till Easter. How does that sound?"

Andy looked at Amelia, excited. This was just what she needed to clear her mind from all things Ted-related. She pictured herself and Amelia, exploring the castle, sneaking out to forgotten places… "Who knew, charms could get interesting!" she murmured.

"I know!" Amelia murmured back, just as excited. "Imagine if we were to find it! Oh…" her voice trailed away, most of the enthusiasm gone.

Andy had realised it to. "If we find it, we'll earn points for our House. Which means we can't go looking for it together." They looked at each other. That sure took a lot of the fun out of it.

For the remainder of the hour, the students would ask all kinds of questions to professor Flitwick, trying to find out what the object would look like or how they would be able to identify it as being the object he had hidden. But professor Flitwick just giggled every time they posed him a question. The lesson ended in complete and utter chaos, but at least he had managed to capture their attention.

"Too bad we can't go searching together," Andy said disappointed when they had left the classroom. "It would have been so much fun to do that together. You know what I don't get?"

Amelia shook her head.

"They always say the Houses should work together a bit more and then Flitwick goes and gives us a task to make us compete amongst each other. That's weird, right?"

"Hmm. It does seem a little odd," Amelia confirmed. "But who knows, maybe he thinks that if we compete on this task, we'll work together more on other things?"

"Honestly, I'm not quite sure what his objective is besides us repeating all the charms we're supposed to have learnt in the last couple of years." Andy suddenly grinned. "Come to think of it, it sounds just like an examination, wrapped in a game. It's clever."

Amelia giggled. "Whatever it is, if it's a test, I much rather have this than the ones Slughorn and Sinistra give us."

They both thought about the ridiculously difficult test they had had in Potions last week and the star diagram professor Sinistra had had them draw. They agreed: if the hide and seek game [i]was[/i] a test, then it least they would have fun taking it.

In the next couple of weeks, fourth year students were seen to utter all kinds of incantations on all kind of locations throughout the castle. Students from fifth, sixth and seventh year grinned whenever they saw them. They recognised the symptoms. They had acted similarly when they had been fourth years, on a quest to find the mysterious objects professor Flitwick had hidden.

However, so far no one had succeeded in actually finding one of Flitwick's objects, so the students had come to wonder whether he actually had hidden objects or if he just enjoyed letting them search the castle using every spell they knew.

It was a grey morning in March when Andy and Tao took a shortcut to their Care of Magical Creatures class, that Tao said: "Pff it's just stupid. I'm absolutely sure there [i]are[/i] no hidden objects, he just wants us to believe there are. I mean, we've searched the entire castle, tried every spell and so far, no one has managed to find even one object!" He waved around with his wand, saying angrily: "As if shouting 'Glacius' at that elderly witch over there, will reveal an object!" He had pointed at the painting of a witch of high age at the wall opposite of them. A wall of coldness erupted from his wand, covering the entire painting and part of the wall with a layer of ice.

"That was not really my intention," Tao murmured. "Oh god, I do hope she isn't mad…" He conjured a small fire and melted away the layer of ice. When the lady in the portrait was visible again, he started to apologize to her but the lady interrupted him.

"A simple atmospheric spell would have done the trick too, thank you very much," the woman said grumping. "Honestly, I could have caught a cold!"

"Stop whining and give the boy the token," a wizard from another painting said impatiently.

"All right, all right," the woman said. They heard a small click.

"Tao, look!"

He looked in the direction Andy was pointing at and they both saw the portrait of the lady swing open to reveal a small cove. In the alcove they found a little wooden box.

"Now, go on, don't just stand there, take what you needed to take, I haven't got all day," the lady said impatiently.

With a little hesitation, Tao walked over to the alcove and carefully took out the little wooden box. When he and Andy opened it, they found a clear diamond and a note. [i]Dear student,[/i] it said, [/i]if you're reading this note, that means you've just found one of thee hidden objects and have earned fifty points for your House. Congratulations.[/i] It was signed by the name of Filius Flitwick and Andy and Tao looked at each other.

"This can't be, right?" Tao wondered. "I mean, I've actually found one?"

Andy smiled. "It sure seems like it. Wow, that's so awesome!" She hugged him without thinking about it and kissed him on the cheek. "Amazing Tao, you did it!" Tao blushed and Andy quickly let go. [i]That was not a smart move….[/i] she commented mentally on her actions. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean…"

"It's okay," Tao assured her. "I don't mind." He blushed again. [i]Hmm, he actually looked quite cute when he blushed,[/i] Andy noticed.

"Let's just get going to Care of Magical Creatures," Andy finally said. "Or we'll have a lot of explaining to do. Reluctantly, Tao agreed. He put the box with the diamond in the pocket of his robe and they rushed towards the classroom they had Care of Magical Creatures in.

They were scorned but sat down excitedly. Hastily they started to explain to the other Slytherins what had happened, but a sharp 'Silence!' was all it took for them to shut up. They didn't want to give the professor anymore occasion to scorn them.

Back at the dormitory, the other Slytherin fourth years slapped them on the back, saying they had done a fine job. And the next day, when they had Charms again and handed the little wooden box to professor Flitwick, he seemed pleased as well.

"Well done, Tao, Andy. Fifty points to Slytherin for finding this diamond." The Slytherins cheered. "What spell did you use?"

"Um, just a simple freezing charm…" Tao said.

"Brilliant, brilliant," professor Flitwick said. "Did she tell you that any other meteorological spells would have worked as well?"

"She might have mentioned something of the kind."

"Very well, very well indeed. So, for today, I want you all to practise on your meteorological spells. Just, don't make it rain on me, okay? Oh, and I need to tell you that none of the other objects is hidden behind a painting, so there's no use whatsoever to fire spells at the poor beings depicted on it." He had a twinkle in his eyes.

After class, Ted bumped into her on the way out.

"So, you and Tao then," he said menacing. "I should have guessed you'd go for a pureblood next, with that family of yours."

Andy felt all her muscles tighten. "As I remember correctly, you were the one that dumped me and told me very clearly on several occasions that you absolutely wanted nothing to do with me anymore," she replied coldly. "So it's none of your business what I do and who I date." She hadn't intended to say that last part, since she and Tao weren't a couple, just good friends, but the remark hit Ted in the face.

"So it's true then," he said after a short silence. "You're just as crazy as the rest of your family."

"Don't say a word about my family," she said angrily. "At least they respect me for who [i]I[/i] am, and that's more than I can say for you." She turned her heels and walked away, just like he had done a mere three months ago. It felt good to have told him what she had wanted to say for a while now. And who knew, she might even start dating Tao after all. He was kind and she had fun with him. She kind of got the feeling Tao liked her as more than a friend and that he had lifted his head hopefully when she had spoken to Ted. Ted. Her dating Tao would most definitely annoy Ted, so that would be a nice bonus. She put her hand on Tao's sleeve and smiled flirtatiously at him.


	6. The dinner party

6. THE DINNER PARTY

The summer holidays were approaching rapidly. Bella had had several more meetings with Lord Voldemort and each time she looked forward to a next lesson with an eagerness that scared her a bit. She couldn't quite explain it but there was something about him. It was like he was oozing with magic and she just needed to learn what he did, so that she could feel that way too…

They had started working on non-verbal spells. It was already difficult to use them in a classroom for defensive spells, but is seemed like it was even harder to produce offensive spells without saying a word. She still hadn't learned about shielding her thoughts. A part of her nagged her and said it was important to learn it and that Lord Voldemort constantly broke his promise to teach her, that he took advantage of knowing her every thought, but she dismissed the thought. It would come up when the time was ready, he had said and she believed him. She felt more secure now with the spells and her understanding of the offensive spells also increased her knowledge of the defensive spells. Her marks for Defense Against the Dark Arts had never been higher.

She almost felt sorry that the summer holidays were nearing. She would have to miss her 'lessons of practical magic' as she now called them and she didn't know if she could cope two whole months without them.

Andy too had mixed feelings about the upcoming holidays. She would miss Tao and all her other friends. She had started dating Tao and they were a couple for almost half a year now. At first, she had mostly turned her attention to Tao because it annoyed Ted to see her with someone else but she actually had grew to like Tao a lot. He made her laugh and he adored her. Every now and then, they would send each other cutesy messages. Things between her and Bella had slightly bettered, since Tao was a pureblood. Andy had off course not forgotten Bella's actions a little before Christmas but the wounds had healed considerably, so they were now on speaking terms again. She was glad with this change, because she and Bella had always been very close and she had hated the time they weren't communicating with one another.

It was the day of the concluding Quidditch match, Slytherin versus Gryffindor, which proved to turn in to a highly interesting game. Slytherin had done better on its next games and the debacle of the first match of the year was soon forgotten. She and Tao would go with Lucas and Irvine, just like the time their friendship had started. Amelia would be there as well and so would some of her other friends. Amelia had accepted Tao as Andy's new boyfriend and the boys had accepted Amelia into their circle of friends. Andy was very happy that they all accepted each other, so that she could hang out with all of them at the same time.

"Do you remember, the first Quidditch match we watched together?" she asked.

"Yeah, I remember. You were 'that girl that was in our year and asked questions about who would win'," Lucas grinned.

"Tao has never been the same since," Irvine added dramatically.

Tao acted as if clutching his chest in hurt and they all burst out with laughter.

"Too bad you weren't there Amelia," Andy said. "But on the other hand, had you been there, it might not have happened."

Amelia nodded. She had heard the story several times now. She quickly changed the subject. "Today's Slytherin-Gryffindor. I'm curious as to which team is going to win."

"Slytherin off course!"

"Gryffindor off course!"

Andy and Eleanor, one of her Gryffindor friends, yelled at the same time. They looked at each other and laughed.

"Well, we'll see," Eleanor said and waved at them. "There are my classmates, I'll see you guys after the match! Prepare for a beat-down!" she yelled smiling as she walked away to a group of Gryffindors in bright gold and red.

"We haven't put our money in!" Irvine said all of a sudden. They quickly went over to the corner where you could place your bets and even Andy chipped in. Then they went to their seats and waited for the game to start.

The one most looking forward to the holidays was Cissy. True, she had managed above expectation this first year, considering that her sisters had been mostly unavailable to her. She also had made a lot of friends and had a lot of fun with them. She would miss them during the holidays off course but they would write each other and Aurore had promised her she could come stay with her at her family's mansion in France. Aurore had told her a lot about the mansion and Cissy couldn't wait to go there and experience the French country life.

"What's so special about France?" she asked Aurore when they were walking towards the Quidditch pitch.

Aurore laughed in reply. "The French are much more vibrant then the English. No offense. It's just like they always try a little harder to get more out of life. And the landscape is just amazing."

"How come?"

"I don't know, I just think it's beautiful. I love the fields of sunflowers, bluebottles, poppies… They're a sight for the eyes, all those colours. And there are all kinds of birds and butterflies," she went on, dreamily.

"Sounds good," Cissy said in awe. She would love to see all those flowers, birds and butterflies Aurore talked about. She liked butterflies. They were of a kind of mysterious beauty and the way they fluttered through the sky from plant to plant intrigued her.

"What are your mum and dad like?" she asked.

"Mum's like me, but a tad older. She's a Veela. She can be a bit strict sometimes but she lightens up when she works in the garden, she absolutely loves that. My dad is a funny looking guy. His hair never does what he wants and he can be a bit chaotic at times. He's always in for a joke and loves to teach me about foreign places he has visited when he was still a sailor. It truly is amazing, the things he knows." She shook her head in amazement.

"It'll be lovely to stay with them and discover things with you," Cissy said. "I wish my parents were anything like that."

"I'm sure they're nice as well, aren't they?"

Cissy hesitated. "Yeah, they're alright I suppose. They always pamper me with gifts but it would be nice to sit down and just chat with them, you know, small talk and how's school…" Her voice trailed off and she added, "I think they're just not that accustomed to showing affection but that doesn't mean it isn't there."

"There you go. See? No parent is perfect," Aurore winked.

A question popped to Cissy mind. "Hey, I was just wondering. Why aren't you in Beauxbatons if your parents live in France?"

Aurore smiled. "Mum and dad thought it was important that I learnt how to work together with and get to meet both girls and boys. And since Beauxbatons is an all-girls school…"

"I see. But don't you miss them when you're at school?"

"No more than you do," Aurore replied. "After all, we're both in school, away from our parents, so it doesn't really make a difference that mine live further away then yours."

The girls chattered on and Cissy was really excited about going to France.

She wasn't that exited about another thing: the Blacks would spend one or two weeks with uncle Orion and aunt Walpurga. Cissy hated the house they lived in, it was far too sombre for her taste and the heads of house-elves long gone scared her. However, she liked seeing her cousins Sirius and Regulus again. Sirius was only four years younger than she was and thought of her as a sort of bigger sister, just as she thought of both of them as her younger brothers instead of her cousins. Ah well, she would have fun, she decided.

The match between Slytherin and Gryffindor was very good. Both teams played to the best of their abilities and the approaching summer holidays seemed to have given every player a burst of motivation. They were equal in strength and the audience truly got an amazing afternoon. Slytherin soon took the lead but Gryffindor stayed really close. When the score was ninety-ninety, it got heated. It looked like the outcome of the match would be decided by whoever caught the Snitch first. It didn't take long before the audience rose from their seat. Both Jacobs and Roselyn, the Gryffindor Seeker, were racing through the pitch. Apparently, they had both spotted the Snitch. They both stretched their arm to catch it but it was Roslyn, who was just a tad longer than Jacobs, who closed his hands around the Snitch, Jacobs' fingers sliding over his. Victoriously, Roslyn held up his arm and Jacobs looked disappointed. Slytherin had just failed to win the Quidditch Cup.

The Slytherins were in a depressed mood when they went back to the castle for the concluding speech of professor Dumbledore.

"I can't believe it," Irvine said. "We've won so many matches in a row and in this final one we're beaten by Gryffindor."

"Ah well, just be lucky they didn't win the Cup with it."

"Oh yeah that's right." Irvine cheered up a bit. Gryffindor had had an off-season and their winning today only meant they would end third instead of last. Hufflepuff had done exceedingly well and had won all of its matches, so they were the winners of the Cup.

After celebrating the Quidditch Cup winners, professor Dumbledore congratulated the House that had won the House Cup. Again, Slytherin was second, a position they shared with Gryffindor. Ravenclaw had only ten points more than they had, but they still were the winners.

Back at the Black Estate, Bella, Andy and Cissy told their parents how their respective years had been. They had off course been writing but telling it in person was much more fun. They did however not get much of a chance to talk to their parents as they announced that there would be a dinner party that evening. They wondered who would come and why it was that important that it had to take place on the evening of their return.

"There are certain things we need to discuss tonight. Your father's brother will be here, as will some wizards and witches we only know by name." Druella told them. "I sincerely hope you girls will not besmirch the Black name, since as hosts of this diner, we can not allow ourselves even the slightest mistakes. Imagine what the other families would say if we couldn't even host a simple dinner party." She shivered in horror.

Bella had picked up on the 'your father's brother' line her mother had used and asked where she could find her aunt and uncle.

"They're in the salon." Indeed, when the girls walked into the salon, they found that aunt Walpurga and uncle Orion were already sitting there. They greeted them and Cissy asked:

"Are Sirius and Regulus with you, aunt, uncle?"

"They are upstairs," Orion belched in his low voice. "They will have to spend the night off course so that we can leave for London first thing in the morning."

The sisters looked at each other. Andy raised an eyebrow. They hadn't expected to be leaving so soon already.

They went upstairs and found their cousins in a room that had two spare beds in it. It was an empty room, with no decorations what so ever and the boys looked a bit forlorn. However, that changed the minute they saw them. Sirius jumped up from the bed he had been sitting on and run towards them, yelling: "Cissy! Andy! Bella!" He threw himself into their arms and they laughed. Regulus followed his brother's example mere seconds later.

"My, have you grown!" Andy said when they had finally let go. "I hardly recognised you."

She and Cissy played with Sirius and Regulus. Bella felt like she really was too old to play games like hide and seek now, she withdrew herself in her room. She understood how important this dinner party was, so she put on a velvet dress in a deep shade of purple, determined to make a good impression at the still unknown guests. She breaded her hair loosely and after a moment of consideration, placed a flower at the end. She looked at herself in the mirror and was content with what she saw.

When they were called for dinner, the three sisters went down, curious as to who would be there. Sirius and Regulus followed them down the stairs.

"Take them to the adjoining dining room and make sure they behave correctly," Druella sternly told Bella.

"What?"

"You heard me. We have important business to discuss and it's no thing for children."

"I'm turning seventeen next week!" Bella objected.

"Which means that at this moment, you're still a child. Now go." Druella had a look on her face that said she wouldn't take no for an answer and that there would be trouble for Bella if she didn't obey soon. She turned, angry with her parents, but help came out of an unexpected corner.

"Just let her stay. After all, it's partly because of Bella that I'm here tonight."

Bella froze. She would recognise that velvety voice everywhere and it belonged to the last person she had expected here, in her parents' dining room. She wasn't the only one to freeze. Just a moment ago, the room had been buzzing with all the murmured conversations going on. Now everybody had fallen silent and several faces were looking curiously in her direction. Andy and Cissy looked at her in amazement and her mother's look was one of suspicion.

"You've met my Bella?" the deep voice of her father broke the silence.

Bella's heart was pounding in her chest. She prayed he wouldn't give away their clandestine lesson, for she was sure her parents would never agree.

"I ran into her one day when I was in Hogsmeade," the man replied. "Her looks and name reminded me of someone who was in my House when I was at Hogwarts. She confirmed me she indeed was your daughter. And here I am."

He made it sound like that was the only logical thing to do after meeting her, but Bella knew better. There had to be another reason. Druella wasn't convinced either, she snorted. "Very well then, if you insist, Bella can stay," she said stiffly. "Andy, take Cissy and the boys the other room. It'll be your job now to watch over them. And no, don't even think about protesting or you'll be grounded for the remainder of the summer."

Andy looked at Bella. [i]Tell me everything,[/i] her eyes said before she left the room angrily.

Her mother called one of the house elves. "Bring an extra chair and set another plate at the table. Miss Bella will be joining our dinner tonight," she ordered. Bella just stood where she stood, petrified, not knowing how to act next.

"Well, come on girl. You haven't lost your manners now have you?" her father said severe. Slowly, Bella approached the table. She felt all eyes were on her and that didn't actually comfort her. Blizzy the house elf had conjured a chair out of thin air and Bella knew nothing else to do but to sit down. Everyone looked at her with curiosity.

"Um, hi," she finally said, to break the silence. No one replied, so in the end Lord Voldemort spoke.

"I'm sure you're very curious as to who else is present here tonight, aren't you?" he asked. Bella nodded and looked round the table. She knew her aunt and uncle off course, and also Lord Voldemort. Further down the table was a man who looked a spitting image of Zachary, so she figured he was his father. And the woman besides him should be his mother then. But she had no idea who all the other people were.

"Let me introduce you. From left to right: Robin Avery and his wife Tilda, Justus Rosier, his wife Isobel and their son eldest Evan, Melchior Mulciber and his son Melchior junior." He pointed at the people as he named them. Bella froze a moment upon hearing the name 'Rosier' as she was pretty certain these had to be Thierry's parents and older brother.

"Off course you already know Orion and Walpurga and I think Zachary, the son of Louis and Khedira Gray, is in your year?"

Bella nodded. So, they were indeed Zachary's parents, as she had guessed already.

"That leaves only Rowan and Ravenna Lestrange and their sons Rodolphus and Rabastan."

A quick count taught her that there were now nineteen people, her included.

"And why exactly are we gathered here tonight?" she asked.

"That, we shall speak of later. For now, I understand dinner is ready?" He looked at her mother, who nodded. "Well then, let's eat for the time being."

Another house elf served the table and soon everyone was enjoying their meal.

Bella engaged in a whispered conversation with Tilda Avery, who asked her a few questions about school. Bella answered them politely but didn't elaborate much. She hardly knew the woman and she didn't particularly like her husband, who had an air of arrogance over him.

When everyone had finished their dinner, Lord Voldemort cleared his throat. All of them stopped their conversations and turned their heads to him expectantly.

"As some of you may already know," he began, "I strongly believe our wizarding world is in danger. In danger, because more and more Muggles find their way into Hogwarts and other wizarding schools, where they take the rightful places of our own children. Do we just let this happen?"

They all shook their heads.

"That's why we have to take actions. I seek to convince the Minister that new laws are in order, laws that will put the Muggles in their rightful places. However, I fear the Minister listens too much to Dumbledore, who is a true Muggle friend. So we might have to… take matters into our own hands. I've called upon an old bond. Robin, Justus, Melchior, Louis, Rowan," he nodded to each of them as he mentioned their names, "we go back as far as Hogwarts. Orion, Cygnus, you both share my repulsion of Muggles. I intend to visit the other pureblood families as well but this is where it starts, as far as I'm concerned. Are you all with me should we have to take action?"

"Yes, the Muggles take everything we hold precious. The time has come to show them our superiority!" Rowan shouted.

"Purebloods first!" Melchior added.

The others around the table applauded at this remark.

Bella had turned pale. She herself had talked to Geraldine about the increasing amount of Muggles at Hogwarts and had even jinxed Ted Tonks, but that was because he had touched her sister, she told herself. However she didn't like the sound of this.

Lord Voldemort raised his hands to silence everyone. "We will off course first try our chances at the Ministry. Actions are only there if everything else fails. For now, we shall call it a night. I ask of you to spread the word of my intentions. It is of uttermost importance that as many pureblood families as possible join our ranks in order for us to stand a chance with the Minister."

There it was, he had done it again, Bella thought. Just like he had in Hogsmeade the first time they had met and on several of their lessons. Just ending a conversation, a meeting, with a voice everybody obeyed to. People were already starting to pack their things and saying their goodbyes. Lord Voldemort looked at Bella and winked at her.

When everyone had parted, Lord Voldemort was the last one to stay behind. He turned to Cygnus and Druella. "I would like to talk to you about Bella," he said calmly. "I believe she is a very bright witch and I would like to make you a proposition concerning her education."

Cygnus face went dark and he said to Bella: "It's time for you to return to your sisters and cousins now. You've already heard more than you should have and it's enough for tonight."

She could hear from the sound of his voice that he meant it, so she didn't object but quickly disappeared out of the dining room.

Meanwhile, Andy and Cissy had been discussing what it was all about. Why were all these people here and more importantly, who was the man that said he knew Bella and what could he want?

"Regulus, don't spill the sauce!" Andy said when the sauce bowl balanced dangerously on the edge.

"I've got it," Cissy said and she managed to save the sauce bowl from falling.

Sirius smiled. "Father and mother told me you'll be coming along to London tomorrow."

"So I've heard," Andy smiled too.

"That's nice. I like it when you're around. How long will you be staying?"

"I don't know," Cissy replied. "It's usually a week or two, so I guess this year shall not be very different.

"Can we go fly kites?" Regulus said hopefully.

Andy and Cissy laughed. "Off course, if there's enough wind we'll fly all the kites you like."

"Is Kreacher still with you?" Andy informed and when they nodded, she added "Gosh, that's one scary house elf. He really gives me the creeps."

Sirius laughed. "Yes Kreacher is a terrible house elf," he said wisely. Regulus punched him. "He's not that terrible."

"Oh yeah, I forgot, you're a big fan of him," Sirius' grin widened. To Andy and Cissy it was clear that he was teasing his little brother but Regulus looked hurt.

"He doesn't mean that," Cissy reassured Regulus.

"How can you tell?" Sirius asked.

"Because you're our cousin, we know you," Andy said dryly.

They had finished dinner long before the adults had and were playing cards when Bella returned. She looked pale and her sisters started asking her questions.

"Not now," she said. "I'm exhausted. And you should be as well, it's rather late already!"

"Ah come on Bella, come sit with us and play cards. We don't have to go to bed as long as Father and Mother don't tell us to," Sirius pleaded with a mischievous smile.

Unfortunately for him, they heard heavy footsteps coming up the stairs. "That's Father," Sirius said. "Come on Regulus, I think we need to be off now." He disappeared quickly, taking Regulus with him. The three sisters were left behind.

Cissy shook the deck of cards a couple of times. She was dying to find out what they had spoken about at the dinner table and Bella was the only one who could tell them.

Bella hesitated. "Oh come on! You promised!" Andy said.

"Well, okay. The man in the black cloak?"

"Which one was that?" Cissy asked. "I only saw the back of their chairs."

"The one that mentioned my name," she said. "He wanted… a law approved by the Minister. And he needed support from other mighty families." She couldn't tell them the entire truth; she knew instinctively how Andy would react. Andy, who she was certain of also had a few Muggle friends… And Cissy, she was just too little to understand yet. And besides, what she said wasn't a complete lie, now was it? She was just… omitting some details. For their own wellbeing.

"A law?" Cissy sounded disappointed.

"Yes it was rather boring actually. If I had known it would be about a law, I would much rather have stayed with you guys."

"But what does that have to do with you?" Andy inquired.

"I don't know. I think he only mentioned running into me because that would give me an excuse to stay. Not that I have a clue as to why he wanted me to be at that meeting."

She could tell they didn't truly believe her but there was no further time to chat. Their mother yelled at them: "Time for bed girls! And no talking or you'll be grounded!"

"Just great," Andy mimicked. "Ah well, good night Cissy. Good night Bella."

"Good night Andy," they replied simultaneously.


	7. Sweet summer time

7. SWEET SUMMERTIME

They had had a wonderful time with aunt Walpurga and uncle Orion, mostly because they enjoyed spending time with Sirius and Regulus. They were happy to be back at the Black Estate nonetheless.

"I just can't understand how they can live there," Cissy said disapprovingly. "I mean, uncle Orion is Father's older brother, shouldn't he have an Estate like ours?"

"Imagine it had been the other way around, that they would live at the Estate and we in their house." Andy shivered of the thought.

"Anyway, I'm glad to be back," Cissy said.

"You have nothing to complain, you're leaving for France soon. I wish I could too," Bella sounded jealous. "You're so lucky!"

"I'll write you off course," Cissy promised hastily.

"You'd better," Andy grinned. "Or we'll no longer call you our sister."

Cissy gave her a push. "You couldn't, you'd miss me too much," she teased.

Bella had a feeling she wouldn't have much time to miss Cissy, since her parents had informed her that they had agreed to Lord Voldemort's proposal to give her extra lessons during the summer holidays – lessons, they didn't realise, were more a continuation than a start – so they would take place every week. She didn't say so to her sisters however, they'd find out soon enough.

One morning, the fireplace in the living room simmered and after some green flames had erupted, two witches stepped out of the fireplace. One of them was Cissy's friend Aurore and the older one had to be her mother, they looked so much alike.

"Aurore!" Cissy yelled and ran to hug her friend. She then turned to the older witch. "Madame Dupont." She curtsied.

"Bonjour Cissy," Aurore's mother said in a melodious voice. "Are you all packed?"

She went over to her parents and introduced herself as Alicia. Cygnus couldn't stop staring at the beautiful Veela in front of him. Druella looked she had just eaten a lemon. She reacted coldly to the other woman.

"I'll bring 'er back in two weeks."

After Cissy had said goodbye to everyone, she went over to the fireplace. Aurore went first and said: "Résidence Dupont". In a flash of green she disappeared. Cissy would go together with Alicia. Another green flash and she felt they were being transported through the Floo powder network. They stopped in another fireplace. Cissy opened her eyes, she hadn't realised she had closed them during the journey.

They stepped out of the fireplace into a cosy living room with red furniture and heavy burgundy curtains. One of the walls of the room was stacked with books.

"Wow, it's beautiful!" she said.

"I'm glad you like it," Alicia said. "Aurore, amène-Cissy à ta chambre."

"Oui, maman," Aurore replied. "Come on Cissy, we'll put your stuff in my room. Oh it will be so cool to be staying here together!" she exclaimed. "Normally, it's just me and Mum and Dad, so I'm really glad you're here."

They walked the stairs to a room filled with posters of wizarding bands and artists. One bed was covered with a plaid and another bed had been made on the other side of the room. Cissy placed her trunk next to the second bed and smiled. "So, here I am! Can you give me a tour of the house?"

"Sure!" Aurore left the room, indicating to Cissy that she should follow her. The Dupont residence wasn't as big as the Black Estate but Cissy loved it from the very start. It had a certain warmth around it with all the wood.

"And you haven't even seen the best thing yet. My mum's pride and glory: our garden."

With a smile Aurore opened the door and she and Cissy went outside.

"Wow…." The garden exceeded every expectation Cissy might have had about it. It was big and filled with flowers, as far as the eye could see. A giant tree stood in the middle. It had a swing attached to it. She could hear birds singing and did indeed spot butterflies.

"I can see why your mum likes to be in this garden. It's absolutely lovely. What does your dad do when she's out here?"

"Oh most of the time he just reads a book. Or he just sits here," she pointed a table and some chairs at a terrace, "and watches her work. Mum hates it when he does that, she says it makes her nervous." Aurore giggled.

They went back inside to get some fresh lemonade.

During her stay with Aurore, they often went to see the towns and villages surrounding the Residence. Aurore and her parents lived in a part of France they called Bretagne, which reminded Cissy of England.

"It's funny you know, there actually is a link with England," Aurore explained one day when they were heading towards the beach. "Both parts were inhabited by folk that shared the same language and the same culture. They called this part Bretagne and when some of them sailed out, they arrived in a country they called 'Grande Bretagne', or Great Britain as the English themselves call it now. Hard to believe the English overseas and the French in this part of France ever spoke the same language, isn't it?"

They had arrived at the beach and for the umpteenth time during her stay, Cissy said "Wow." She had never been to a beach before and the sight of the ocean and the boats marvelled her. "It's fantastic!"

"And the best part is," Aurore smiled, "if you look closely, you can see England from here!"

Cissy stared at the horizon but couldn't see it.

"It's there, see? The tiny stripe of dark on the horizon?"

Cissy nodded and Aurore continued: "That's England."

Cissy shook her head in amazement. "Surely, if I were to live here, I would never leave."

They both laughed and Aurore showed a spot where they could lie down.

"If only this could last forever," they mused.

Cissy really enjoyed her stay with Aurore. Her mum and dad where kind and her father indeed tried to make them laugh all the time. The weather was good and the people they encountered were all very friendly. The fields of sunflowers and bluebottles amazed her, as did the city of Paris they once went to. The train looked a bit like the Hogwarts Express with its compartments and they also offered food and beverages.

"You know what's fun? If we act like Muggles for a morning," Aurore's dad grinned. "We'll just take a bus and pretend we're tourists."

"Eberhard!" Alicia said reproachfully but her eyes twinkled.

"What do you mean?" Cissy said.

"You'll see."

Aurore's parents changed their clothes and afterwards also changed the girls' clothes. They now looked like the Muggles surrounding them.

"Yugh, I'm not liking these Muggle-clothes," Cissy said with a frown. "They're weird."

Eberhard shushed her and they got on a bus. It was big and red and it was open on the top. Cissy had seen busses like these in London too.

A woman started telling them in nasal English all the sights they we're passing.

"She skips half of them!" Cissy whispered agitated.

Eberhard almost couldn't hold his laughter. "I know, that's because she can't see them!"

"You mean they're magical buildings?"

He nodded and Cissy now looked with another look at the buildings they were passing. While the woman in the front of the bus kept babbling, she too felt laughter creeping up on her. There was so much Muggles just didn't see. She couldn't imagine how they could live like that. She didn't dare look at Aurore because she knew that if she did, they would burst out in laughter and that would cause very odd looks from the surrounding Muggles. She bit her tongue to prevent her starting to laugh and noticed Aurore was doing the exact same thing.

Finally, they got off just in front of an enormous road that appeared to go on for miles.

"Les Champs Elysées!" Alicia announced.

Muggles were walking in and out of store but what they apparently didn't see was another line of store where witches and wizards in robes of any colour shopped.

"Now, let me see," Eberhard mumbled. "The entrance has to be here somewhere…"

He paced up and down the spot they were standing and suddenly his face lit up.

"Off course," he said. He carelessly sat on a park bench, tapped it three times with his wand, faded a little and then reappeared. They could off course still see him but they kind of had a feeling the Muggles couldn't anymore. Alicia, Aurore and Cissy also took place on the bench. Alicia tapped it at exactly the same spot Eberhard had tapped it and they felt a funny feeling go over them, like an egg broke on their heads. Then the feeling was gone. The magical street now looked even brighter than it had done before. It was like a french equivalent to Dagon Alley, only much, much bigger.

"Wait," Eberhard said, when people were staring at them and pointing. He flicked his wand over all of them and they were in their own clothes again. "That's better," he said.

Cissy couldn't agree more; her own clothing was way more comfortable than the Muggle clothing had been. She couldn't understand how they could stand it.

They walked towards the stores. The first store they entered was a bookstore, because Eberhard wanted to buy the newest book in the series of [i]Gregorian – The Wizard Detective[/i], a series he very much enjoyed reading. Cissy also bought herself a new book. It was on Atlantian mythology and had a beautiful moving cover of a seahorse and merfolk and she just had to have it. It was like the book called out to her to buy it. Happily, she placed it in her bag. She couldn't wait to read it when she was back at the Estate. After they had done some shopping, Eberhard and Alicia took the girls to an ice cream parlour. It was a huge store and the counter was filled with what seemed like a hundred different flavours of ice cream.

"Just pick anything you like," Alicia said.

"Do you come here often?" Cissy asked when she picked chocolate and orange, her favourites.

"This is where we met," Alicia said smiling. "Right here, in this very ice cream parlour."

She turned to Eberhard, who smiled back at her.

"That's right. Alicia was working here during the summer," he said.

"And Eberhard came back every day for ice cream just to see me," Alicia giggled.

Aurore rolled her eyes. Apparently she had heard this story many times already. Cissy thought it was sweet, the way they still seemed very much in love.

The trip to Paris was the final day of Cissy's stay with Aurore and she was really sad that she had to leave and go back to the Estate. After the warmth and homily interior of Résidence Dupont, the Black Estate was a cold place with its marble halls and severe looking portraits of ancestors.

She hugged Aurore and after a little hesitation, also Alicia and Eberhard and promised to write. Alicia went with her through the Floo powder channel and they appeared in the fireplace that was so familiar to Cissy. She said goodbye to Alicia and watch as she disappeared again in the green flames. She sighed. This was it, it really was over now.

"Cissy?" Andy voice yelled from the salon. "Cissy! You're back!" Andy stormed in and hugged her tight. "Gosh, I've missed you, you have no idea how boring it has been with you gone. How was France? You have to tell me everything!" She took a breath and Cissy cut in.

"Wow, easy sis. I haven't even unpacked yet," she laughed.

"You're right. I'm sorry." Andy blushed.

"Don't be silly," Cissy said. "Let's take a seat."

"Now just tell me all about France," Andy said, the moment they had sat down.

"Ow, it was wonderful Andy! Too bad you couldn't come as well. Aurore's home is very nice, it has carpet in almost every room and their garden is lovely. Aurore's mum tends to her garden herself, you know? I've seen sunflowers and bluebottles and there were all sorts of butterflies."

Andy smiled at the enthusiasm with which Cissy was telling about her visit. "And the villages, were they what you expected them to be?" she asked.

"The villages were beautiful and the people were really nice. Oh Andy, I've been to the beach! It was brilliant, we could see England on the horizon! Aurore told me they once spoke the same language there as here, isn't that weird? And, and, and, I've been to Paris! Which is like, the most beautiful city ever! Her parents met there, at an ice cream parlour, so sweet, they're still in love. It was on a magical shopping street, even bigger than Diagon Alley and the Muggles couldn't see it, even though we walked almost next to them! Oh and I haven't even told you the best part!"

"What, there's more?" Andy grinned. "Sounds like you've seen all of France in just two week already. So what's it?"

Cissy's eyes twinkled and she leaned in a little closer. Without realising it, Andy followed her example.

"When we were in Paris, we dressed up as Muggles and took one of these tourist busses, you know, like the ones they have in London? It was hilarious, they couldn't see half of the buildings!" She burst with laughter. Andy looked shocked for a moment, then burst out in laughter as well.

"Oh my, Cissy, that must have been marvellous!" she hiccupped. "I can hardly imagine you in Muggle clothes, you must have looked ridiculous!"

"It was scary at first but it turned out to be a lot of fun. Aurore's parents are really nice, it was her father who came up with they idea. I just can't imagine Father coming up with something similar." They both giggled at the thought of their father in Muggle clothes.

"Both how were things over here? You mentioned something about it being boring?" She looked around the room, "Where's Bella, anyway? I kind of expected she would be here to hear me out as well."

A cloud passed over Andy's face. "She's probably busy with her [i]lessons[/i]," she sneered.

Cissy sat up straight. "Lessons? But it's the holidays and Bella is top of her class. If anyone can finish Hogwarts with a lot of NEWTs, I reckon it's going to be her. What on earth is she taking extra lessons for?"

"I don't know anymore than you do," Andy said darkly. "Do you remember the man we saw that evening, at the dinner party? The one that appeared to know her?"

Cissy nodded. "We talked about him afterwards, I remember."

"Well, ever since, he's been around the Estate twice a week, giving her private lessons in Merlin knows what. Bella won't talk about it but I can see she's changing. Something is the matter with her and I'm not really sure I like this 'new' Bella. She looks like she hasn't slept in days."

She paused for a moment and looked grave. Cissy did too. The unconcerned atmosphere of just mere moments ago was gone.

"I wished Bella would just talk to me, you know." Andy sighed. "And Father and Mother are over the moon with his visits, apparently he's someone really important."


	8. The other student

8. THE OTHER STUDENT

With the beginning of the new school year, the changes in Bella's behaviour were apparent to everyone, not just to Andy and Cissy. Geraldine quietly asked them what was wrong with Bella but they couldn't explain it to her. Zachary knew off course, his parents had been at the dinner party and had seen Bella there. Due to this fact, Bella sometimes talked more to Zachary than to Geraldine, who was getting furious at what she saw as betrayal of a long friendship.

There was one positive side about Bella returning to Hogwarts: with her NEWTs coming up, her lessons were brought back to once a month instead of twice a week. Bella regained some of her old vibrancy and colour and Andy and Cissy were relieved she appeared to be noticing them again. However, she still wouldn't listen every time they told her they worried about her.

"There is nothing wrong with me. For crying out loud, just leave me be," she would say on those occasions.

Rumours were beginning to spread amongst the students, about a man who called himself Lord Voldemort and who intended to get a law past the Minister about Pure-bloods having priority over Muggles.

"It's ridiculous, really," Amelia said furiously one day when they were in Astronomy. "Apparently, he's been going round the houses of pure-blood families, asking their support for his [i]cause[/i]." She snorted at the last word. "Well, my family sure as hell isn't going to back him up, half of our friends are Muggles!"

Andy thought about the dinner party and the weekly visits. She was pretty sure Amelia talked about the same man but she still didn't know how Bella had gotten involved and why he took such an interest in her. She figured it would be best not to tell Amelia about Bella's lessons since that would only call for questions to which she didn't have an answer.

"Surely he's been to your parents as well, hasn't he?" Amelia inquired.

"I think so. There has been a dinner party during the holidays but I haven't actually seen him." She hesitated a moment, then decided she couldn't tell Amelia about her parents embracing his ideas either. And so another friendship crackled.

And it wasn't just her friendship with Amelia. Andy felt she was dissociating herself from her parents and their eagerness to follow Lord Voldemort's ideas as well. She felt like she would soon be in the middle of something she couldn't understand and that she would have to choose who's 'side' she was on. She didn't feel like picking sides at all but instead just hoped against odds that things would turn back the way they were before the summer holidays.

Bella appeared not to notice these subtle changes. For her, only two things mattered now: her monthly lessons with Lord Voldemort and passing her NEWTs. She worked hard for both. Due to the extra lessons from Lord Voldemort, she was now by far the best of her class now in non-verbal spell work, both in Charms as in Defense Against the Dark Arts. Professors Slughorn and McGonagall were very content with her results in Potions and Transfiguration. True, her Ancient Runes didn't keep up to the same standards but she figured she wouldn't be needing it after school anyway so she didn't bother much with getting more than 'Above average' on her tests.

During the summer holidays, she had finally learnt the thing she had wanted to learn since the first time she had met Lord Voldemort: to shield her thoughts from others. She found it rather difficult but Lord Voldemort said she was improving so she assumed he was right. It was too bad she couldn't try it because she knew no one else who could read minds like he did.

Even though her lessons had become less frequent, she hungered for them more than ever. Last year, they had been practising on beetles and leeches but they had moved up to mice and other small mammals.

"Bella, I think it's time I'll teach how to duel," Lord Voldemort said coldly on their last lesson before the Christmas holidays.

She was confused by his remark. "Duel, my Lord?" She had come to name him Lord instead of sir of teacher because that just didn't feel right any more.

"Yes, it's time you learn how to act when in battle."

She looked shocked now. "So, I take it the Minister won't cooperate then?" she asked cautiously.

His face darkened and Bella flinched. [i]I shouldn't have said that…[/i] she thought.

"You shouldn't have," he agreed and Bella was painfully aware of the fact that she hadn't kept her guard up. "However, since you asked: no, the Minister doesn't seem to be inclined to support our cause."

She felt some pleasure as he spoke of 'our' cause instead of 'my' cause. She felt included, felt like she was a part of something bigger.

"But for now, wand at the ready."

Mere seconds after she had gotten her wand out of her robe, a flash sprung of Lord Voldemorts wand and threw her into the wall. With a loud thud she fell to the floor. It hurt badly.

"What on earth are you doing that for!" she raged in pain.

"Enemies won't wait until you've been so kind as to draw your wand," he sneered. "Now, get up, grab your wand and defend yourself!"

This time, she was sort of expecting the flash as another spell darted her way. She ducked and it missed her by inches. She grabbed her wand and got up. When the next spell came her way, she yelled: "Protego!", the first spell that came into her mind. The spell bounced off but Lord Voldemort bellowed: "What have I been teaching you lately? Non-verbal spell work Bella!"

She blushed. How could she have forgotten when it was all they had worked on last summer? Come to think of it, he had indeed not uttered one word when sending spells her way. With a look of determination, she told herself to focus. Non-verbal spell work took her a lot of concentration but she would show him the lessons hadn't been in vain.

She managed to block a stinging jinx with a non-verbal counter jinx and it backfired at him. Frozen, he fell over and she laughed. [i]See, she could do non-verbal spell work![/i]

The spell didn't last long. As he got up, she half expected him to be mad, but to her surprise, he was grinning.

"You're a quick learner, Bella," he said. "I think you'll make an excellent duellist one day."

She revelled in the compliment he had given her. "Thank you my Lord."

"We'll try again. This time, try to hit me with one of the jinxes we've practised."

Bella looked uncertain. "Um," she began.

"What are you waiting for girl? Are you afraid you might actually hit me?" He started to laugh while he carelessly rolled his wand through his fingers.

Bella bit her tongue. She concentrated on the 'neurintio' spell and a dash of purple light spurted his way. He blocked it without even looking at her. "Surely, you can do better than that?" he taunted.

She felt rage building up inside her. If there was one thing Bellatrix Black didn't like, it was being taunted. She thought of a spell that would knock him of his feet. She whispered "Dispondera" and at the same time, a ray of blue left her wand and he jumped aside, blinking with surprise.

"Now that's interesting …" he muttered and shot her a thoughtful look. "Bella, hold it for a moment, will you?"

She lowered her wand a little but not much. She hadn't forgotten what had happened the last time she had been unprepared and feared this was going to be another lesson: 'never let you guard down when your opponent tells you to' or something of the kind.

"What was that spell?" he asked.

Bella was confused. Surely he must have recognised it as being a spell to knock people of their feet? She said so.

"It's not a spell we've practised, now have we?"

"No my Lord."

"Did you learn it at Hogwarts?" his voice betrayed that he doubted it.

She felt herself shrinking. Unknowingly, she must have done something wrong.

"Then were did it come from?" he inquired.

"I, I just made it up, my Lord," she confessed.

"You just … made it up? Just yet? You've never used it before or seen it somewhere in a book?"

"I'm sorry, okay?" she replied weary. "I'll never do it again."

"Oh, on the contrary Bella, it think you'll do it more often. I had no idea, but this really changes everything."

"So I made up a spell. What's the big deal?" she was getting angry again.

"The big deal is," he spoke slowly, accentuating every single word, "that only very talented wizards and witches can do this. If you can do this at only seventeen, we can expect great things of you in the future Bella."

Bella opened her mouth and then shut it again.

"But how can't really teach you how to duel, when I'm the one duelling you. I'll make sure there'll be someone to practise with next time."

"So you mean, this lesson's over?" she asked, still not being able to grasp what he had just told her.

"I think for today, yes," he replied.

"But don't worry, we'll meet again soon," he reassured her.

She sighed. The wonderful feeling of superiority caused by firing offensive spells quickly ebbed away.

"Well, I'll see you next time then, [i]professor[/i]," she said with emphasis on the last word, because she knew he hated it when she called him that. It was her way of telling him she didn't like it.

But he only replied with a soft "Until next time Bella. Enjoy your holidays" which confused her, to be honest.

In the weeks to come, she had time to think about what he had said. That only very talented wizards and witches could create working spells. Truth be told, she didn't know for sure it would have done what it was supposed to do but she felt that if he hadn't jumped aside, he would have been kicked off his feet, just as she had intended.

She arrived early to her next lesson, because she wanted to be there before Lord Voldemort arrived with the person he would be bringing. She felt it would give her an advantage over the newcomer.

When they arrived a few minutes after she had arrived, she looked at the person. He was tall, a couple of years older than she was and he had unruly brown hair. He looked like some sort of aristocrat so she figured he must come from old money. She vaguely recognised him but couldn't put a name to him.

"Bella, I've brought Rodolphus Lestrange with me. You two have met at the dinner party at your parents' house this summer."

She remembered him now. He had been there with his parents and younger brother. She curtsied, as she would have done had she encountered him on a social event. He gave her a nod with the head and they looked at each other for a moment.

Then Lord Voldemort broke the silence.

"Rodolphus, as I have told you the first time, I've asked to accompany me because I feel it's important that Bella here learns how to duel properly. I'm sure you can see the inconveniences of me duelling and teaching at the same time, so that's were you come in."

Rodolphus nodded but Bella thought she spotted a hint of annoyance in his eyes.

[i]Well, well, so the pretty boy didn't really want to be here, eh?[/i]

When they started duelling, they circled around each other, waiting for the other one to fire the first spell. She could see he thought this was beneath him, that he was wasting his time, but he didn't dare speak his mind. It made her giggle. She would make him see. Without uttering a word, she sent a stinging jinx his way. She noticed the surprise on his face when he stiffened. She smiled mildly.

The spell wore off and his face darkened. "You might have surprised me once, but that will not happen again," he said.

"We shall see," she taunted, just as Lord Voldemort had done during her previous lesson.

A ray of red sprung from Rodolphus wand: he too tried a stinging jinx, which she effortlessly blocked.

This made him angry. She saw that he didn't underestimate her anymore like he had done before. He fired spell after spell at her and Bella had a hard time blocking them all. She could barely fire a spell herself and it was inevitable that she got hit eventually by one of his spells. She fell to the floor and screamed in pain. Her arm had hit the wall in a rather uncomfortable way. Tears filled her eyes but she swallowed them. She wanted to get up but gasped when she used her arm.

"Okay that'll do," Lord Voldemort said harshly but she shook her head. [i]She just had to show them, show him, that she couldn't be bothered by a bit of pain…[/i] She focused really hard to ignore the pain and then fired a jinx at him. It hit him in the shoulder and he too yelled in pain. Bella looked triumphant.

"Enough, I said," Lord Voldemort said. "Wands away," he commanded. Both of them reluctantly lowered their wands.

"Bella, perseverance is key," he said. "Rodolphus, never underestimate your opponent."

He paused a moment. "The techniques are there but you still need to work on the details. Both of you," he added as Rodolphus opened his mouth to speak. "We'll continue next time."

Bella thought she might have a problem because her arm was hurting so badly she couldn't even sleep. She hoped against odds that it would pass but it didn't, so eventually she had to acknowledge the fact that she would have to go to the hospital wing to have it treated. She postponed it as long as she could but in the afternoon the pain had gotten so bad she couldn't hold it any longer. She felt a bit nauseous.

Off course, the hospital witch asked her what she had done and why she had waited so long. Bella told her she had fallen out of her bed and that she had been too embarrassed at first. The witch snorted but didn't comment any further. Bella knew she didn't believe a word of what she had said but all that mattered to her now was that the pain went away.

"You'll have to stay overnight, dear," the witch said. Bella grunted.

"No buts, you'll stay here," she said firm and directed her to one of the beds.

"Here, drink this." Bella reluctantly took the potion but as soon as she had drunk it, she felt a warm feeling spreading through her body and she gratefully slid between the cool sheets. Soon she was asleep.

When she woke up, Andy and Cissy were by her side.

"Bella! What has happened?" Andy asked.

Bella tried to get up. She yelped as the pain came back vigorously.

"Are you okay?" Cissy inquired.

"Yeah, I will be," she tried to reassure them, but failed hopelessly.

"Bella?" Andy began. "You haven't done anything you're not supposed to do, are you?"

"What do you mean?"

Andy and Cissy looked at each other and then turned back to her. "We were just wondering… you are not continuing these lessons you had during the summer, are you?" they finally said.

Bella froze a moment. [i]How did they know? But wait, they didn't really know.[/i] She relaxed a little. "How could I?" she said.

Again, her sisters exchanged glances. Bella began to feel uncomfortable under their examining looks.

"Well, you haven't, you know, tapped any witch' hat lately have you?" Cissy finally said.

Bella didn't need to ask what they meant. "No," she said firmly. "I haven't used the passageway since last year, when we went through together."

Cissy sighed and Andy said: "I'm really relieved to hear that, you know? We were really worrying about you."

She smiled. A sense of happiness came over her, knowing that her sisters would always be there for her. Just as she would always be there for them. They hugged each other, carefully avoiding Bella's hurt arm and then Andy and Cissy left. She sank back in the pillows and closed her eyes. [i]She would them soon[/i] she promised herself. [i]When things were certain, she would tell them.[/i] On that note, she slowly sank away in a dreamless sleep.

In the months to come, both Bella and Rodolphus got better in their duelling. They never spoke much, just the casual chitchat. Bella proved by far the better of the two and one day, shortly before her NEWTs were coming up, Lord Voldemort invited her on a 'special visit' he had to make. Rodolphus looked disappointed. They had been duelling for only a short while. Bella however was very pleased to be able to accompany Lord Voldemort.

"When will we be going?"

"I reckon now would be as good a time as any," he replied.

She looked at him, as if examining if he really meant it. He just stood there, firm and tall and she saw no evidence that he might be mocking her.

"Well?"

"I would be delighted, my Lord." Her eyes lit up with an eagerness that was almost indecent. "Where will we be headed?"

"You'll see. Now, take my arm. Rodolphus, we'll continue on our last meeting here before summer."

Bella had walked over to Lord Voldemort, she felt elated that he had picked her and not Rodolphus, who, she had come to learn, was the son of one of Lord Voldemort oldest [i]connaissances[/i]. As they both Disapparated, she shot one final look at Rodolphus. His face was clouded by the disappointment but she thought she also saw a hint of a smile. There was no time to think about it, for the next moment they were standing on a farm and she had to concentrate not to trip over. She couldn't wait to learn how to Disapparate herself, maybe then the nauseating feeling would be less. Still, the feeling of having touched him, someone with this big a magical power, reverberated through her veins.

"What is it we're doing here, my Lord?"

"Practising."

The answer took her by surprise. For a moment she didn't know what to say. He looked at her, bemused, and she decided she would prove herself worthy of his trust so she didn't ask for an explanation. After a moment, he nodded, almost approvingly. "Come."

He walked towards a shed and she followed him, almost like a puppy. There were no other houses to be seen for miles and the territory was quite vast.

"Oi, what yer doin' on me land?" A man in his forties, probably the farmer, came rushing towards them, grabbing a pitchfork on the way.

"If you would be so kind, Bella." Lord Voldemort stepped aside and Bella looked from the farmer to him, startled. But he had said they were here to practise, so she assumed he expected her to jinx the farmer. She drew her wand and inflicted the first jinx that came to mind. It was the 'dispondera'-spell and as the now familiar blue flash left her wand, the farmer looked up in shock before getting blown off his feet. Bella chuckled. "Amusing," she said, more to herself than to Lord Voldemort. He only smiled and taking this as an encouragement, Bella fired consecutively a paralyzing jinx and a 'neurintio' spell. The farmer, already on the ground, stiffened and his eyes darted from left to right in anguish. Bella moved forward, towards him. She was starting to feel more powerful with every spell she threw at him. When the effects of the paralyzing jinx were ebbing away and the man started screaming for help, Bella touched his arm. He kept screaming, only now in pain, since the effects of the neurintio-spell hadn't worn off yet.

[i]Go ahead Bella. He's a only a Muggle. He deserves what you're doing to him,[/i] the voice of Lord Voldemort sounded in her mind. His approval was all the urging on she needed and she smiled. [i]He was pleased with her,[/i] she thought. [i]She had interpreted the objective right.[/i]

"What were you planning to do with that pitchfork?" she asked the man, dangerously calm. "Not pitching in on us I hope? You see, that's not really [i]friendly[/i] of you, is it?" Panic flickered across the man's face as she used a 'wingardium leviosa' to lift the pitchfork and let it dangle above his body.

"Please, what've I done yer?" the man started pleading. She looked at him disdainfully and replied: "You exist." Two things happened at the same time. She used a tongue-tie spell on him, which stopped him talking but which also stopped the 'wingardium leviosa' spell. The pitchfork fell from the sky and perched the man's foot. He screamed but no sound left his mouth.

Lord Voldemort's stepped forward. "Interesting choice of spells Bella. However, you've more than proven yourself and I would say that you've passed the test with a well-earned 'Outstanding'. Could you return him to his normal, non-sapient being?"

"Can I do what?" she asked, flushing at the compliment he had given her.

"Amnesia," he murmured and the man got a glazed expression on his face.

"He'll forget all about us visiting and will think that he himself accidentally planted the pitchfork on his foot. Now, grab my arm girl, we'll be going back to Hogsmeade."

She did as bided and the nauseating feeling overwhelmed her once more. Back at the Shrieking Shack, Lord Voldemort again told her well she had done. Still glowing with the compliment, Bella had gone back to Hogwarts.

Her NEWTs were nerve-racking but Bella still felt the frenzy of the 'exam' Lord Voldemort had made her take, so she excelled in almost every one of them, seemingly without much effort. She was looking forward to the end of the exam period and thus the end of her time at Hogwarts. She then no longer would have to have her lessons in the Shrieking Shack but could just practise at will, just as she had done last summer. And she would no longer have to work alongside Rodolphus anymore.

When the owl arrived, early on the morning of her Alchemy exam, Bella didn't think much of it at first. She turned the envelop. It was of a heavy quality and had the Black's family crest in the left hand corner. [i]Post from home? That was weird, especially since Andy and Cissy hadn't gotten any post – she had checked.[/i] With a frown on her face, she opened it. As she unfolded the heavy, handmade paper, the frown got deeper.

[i]Bellatrix,

Earlier this week, we have received word from Rowan and Ravenna Lestrange. It appears that you've made quite the impression on their eldest son Rodolphus during the dinner party last summer, for he has asked for your hand in marriage. As the Lestranges are a very notable family and are of the purest of bloods, we have accepted his proposal with great delight and would like to congratulate you on your upcoming marriage. The wedding is scheduled to take place on August 17th.

Father and Mother[/i]

After she had finished it, she sank back in her chair, aghast. This could not be true. They were going to marry her, without even consulting her? Well, that should not have come as a surprise, she thought bitterly. That had always been one of the scenarios she had held in mind when thinking about the future. But Rodolphus, of all persons? Rodolphus, who barely spoke to her during their lessons with Lord Voldemort and who was inferior in spell work and duelling to her? It just couldn't be true, she repeated to herself again. Suddenly, she wished graduation was still far away.


	9. A wedding

9. A WEDDING

"Andy, is your sister getting married?" Amelia asked, carefully lowering something that looked like an invitation.

"What? No, there must be a mistake!" Andy laughed. "No way she would be getting married without telling me!" She took the invitation from Amelia's hand en began to read. It really was written there: "Cygnus and Druella Black-Rosier and Rowan and Ravenna Lestrange-Nott cordially invite you to the wedding of their children Bellatrix and Rodolphus," she read out loud. "I don't believe this!" she shouted. "Why didn't she tell me?" She looked hurt. Amelia put a hand on Andy's arm but she brushed her off.

"Andy, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you…"

"Well, it's not you who's upsetting me," Andy replied grimly. "I need to talk to her, this very moment," she added. "Can I take this?"

She didn't even wait for Amelia to reply but walked straight towards the Slytherin common room, the invitation clenched in her hand. [i]It can't be true, it just can't be that she hasn't told me,[/i] was the thought that raced through her mind.

Bella wasn't in the common room but Cissy was and she was shocked by the look on Andy's face.

"What's going on Andy? Is that a letter you're holding?" she brought her hand to her mouth. "Did something happen to Father or Mother?"

"Where's Bella?"

"I don't know, she should be here any minute now, she was going to help me with my Charms homework but… Is something wrong with Bella?"

"This is what's wrong," Andy said and threw the invitation on the table.

Cissy picked it up and started reading. Then she looked up. Her face was even paler than it usually was.

"She didn't tell you either then," Andy concluded by the look on Cissy's face.

The fact that she wasn't the only one who hadn't been told somehow calmed her down.

"What is this, some kind of joke? If it is, it's not funny Andy, you scared me."

"If only it was a joke," Andy replied. "Amelia received this by owl this morning."

They looked at each other. Cissy fell back on the couch. "I can't believe she hasn't told us," she said.

"Me neither. I mean, we're her sisters! Surely you would tell your sisters if you were getting married?"

"I would say so too."

"What would you say too?" Bella asked curiously when she entered the common room. She had just heard the final line of the conversation.

As one, Andy and Cissy turned towards her.

"That one should tell one's sisters when one is getting married," Andy said coldly.

Bella seemed to shrink a couple of inches. "Oh, that," she muttered and looked at the floor. "How did you find out?"

"Amelia received an invitation by owl this morning. Just [i]lovely[/i] to found out she knows about it before we do."

"She received a what?" Bella asked, shocked. "Let me see that."

Cissy handed her the invitation with an icy look. Bella glanced at it. "Well, they certainly don't waste any time," she said bitterly. "Look, I'm sorry you found out this way. I've only learned about it this week myself and I was kind of hoping… that if I … pretended it wouldn't happen, it just … wouldn't happen. How foolish of me. I should have known they were already writing the invitations the moment they send me the owl."

Cissy and Andy looked at her, stunned.

"You mean…," Cissy said slowly, "you didn't know you were getting married either?"

"Not until this week, no." She took out a crumpled piece of paper and threw it on the table. "This is what Father and Mother send me earlier this week."

Andy picked it up and unfolded it. Cissy looked over her shoulder as they both started to read the rather short message.

"That's ridiculous," Andy said after she had read it. She and Cissy both looked shocked. "They can't just say you're about to be married! You hardly know the guy!"

"Hey, what else did you expect? It's our parents we're talking about. They care about social standards above anything else and you've read the message; 'The Lestranges are a very notable family'," she repeated the words her mother had written. "Somewhere, I always knew something like this could happen."

"Surely you're not going to accept his proposal, are you?"

"I'll have to. We Blacks have a name to uphold. And he is after all a pure-blood, so I guess it'll turn out okay in the end," she shrugged.

"I could never marry someone I didn't know," Cissy said with determination.

"Me neither," Andy agreed. "Can't you just tell them you don't want to?"

Bella snorted. "Come on, Andy, you and I both know that's not an option with our parents."

"I would protest," Andy said. "I would never agree with a proposal like this."

Cissy nodded approvingly.

"Well, let's just hope you both find, nice, [i]notable[/i] guys willing to ask you to marry them before anyone else does then," Bella said. "Or otherwise the same will happen to you in a couple of years."

They remained silent for a moment.

"I'm sure if Slughorn found out, he'd throw you a party," Andy said. "One of his top pupils, marrying into one of the great wizarding families. I'll bet you anything Rodolphus was in his elite club as well."

Bella groaned. She feared Andy was right. All three of them were in Slughorn's elite club, since their parents stood high on the social ladder in the wizarding world. If the Lestranges took an even higher position, then most likely Rodolphus had been a 'Slugger' as well.

Indeed, she didn't have to wait long. That afternoon, professor Slughorn approached her with a big smile on his face.

"Bella! I've just received an owl inviting me to your wedding. I am delighted! I've known Rodolphus well; he's a fine man. You've certainly done well girl. How about a little celebration party tomorrow evening, eh?"

He looked at her expectantly and she just didn't have the heart to disappoint him. "Sounds great, professor," she managed.

"Very well, tomorrow evening at eight o'clock it is then. I'll spread the word."

"Great, just what I needed," she murmured as he had walked away.

Both Andy and Cissy were thinking a lot about what Bella had said.

Andy had been with Tao for a while now and had intended to break up with him. Sure, he still was nice and kind but she liked him more as a friend then in a boyfriend kind of way. However, Bella's words had made her doubt the decision. What if, on her graduation, her parents expected her to marry as well? Wouldn't it be better if she were to marry someone she perhaps didn't love but was nonetheless fond off, instead of marrying someone she didn't know? But on the other hand, she was still two years away from graduation, surely she could meet someone in those two years who she [i]did[/i] love? She felt uncomfortable with all these doubts piling up in her head. Something happened later on that week that made up her mind for her.

She had told Tao about Bella getting married and he she felt about that. Tao had looked at her and said: "Why aren't you happy for her that she made such an excellent agreement?"

"But she isn't in love with him!" she replied.

"So? Lot of married witches and wizards aren't. She should be happy that someone from such a notable family thinks she's worth it. And so should you, for that record, for her marrying into the Lestrange family also increases your own prospects."

He sounded so much like her parents, that she looked at him disbelievingly. "You mean to say you're more inclined to marry me now that my sister is getting married into a wealthy family?"

"Well, I wouldn't exactly put it that way but…"

She was getting angry now. "You know what Tao? Forget it. I thought you were different but you're just the same. I think it is best we ended this, right now."

He looked at her, stunned. "What? But why?"

"Because apparently the social status of my soon to be brother-in-law is more important to you than the person I am myself. I can't stay with someone who has this little respect for me. It's over Tao."

She walked away, red hot with anger and tears streaming down her face. [i]How could she so terribly have misjudged him?[/i]

Cissy was in a totally different position. There were two boys who fancied her and Bella's words had made her reflect on both of them. One was Ricardo Vitel, the Hufflepuff she had met on the Hogwarts Express as a first year. The other one was Mikael Jameson, who was a third year Slytherin. She liked Ricardo better but would her parents approve of him, seeing that he was no Slytherin? And did that really matter, in the end? Cissy thought about what mattered more to her and decided she'd rather be with Ricardo than with Mikael.

So she told Mikael she was sorry but that she already was with some one else. He looked extremely disappointed and for a moment she doubted her decision. But only for a moment, because the thought about how Ricardo would look sheered her up.

She went over to the Hufflepuff tables in the Great Hall and placed her hands over his eyes. "Guess who," she whispered.

"Cissy?" he asked.

"Uhuh," she said with a smile and wrapped her arms around him, her head resting against his. He slowly turned his head and smiled too as he kissed her.

His fellow Hufflepuffs began to hoot and people at the other tables looked up. Cissy and Ricardo both grinned, a little embarrassed with all the attention. With a smile, Cissy returned to the Slytherin tables, where Aurore frantically grinned at her.

The next night, all three of them attended Slughorn's party. There were more students there than they had expected. Besides a lot of Slytherins, there were also students from the other houses. Everyone turned when the sisters entered, all focus was on Bella. She didn't like all this attention; after all, what had she done really? They were only looking at her because she was going to get married straight out of Hogwarts. Bella already regretted having agreed to the party. However, she straightened her back. "Might as well just get it over with," she murmured to Andy and Cissy.

It would be a very tiring evening; everyone congratulated her or asked her questions as to where they had met and why she didn't wait until she was older. The latter were by far the more exigent. Bella was glad that at around ten o'clock, Cissy yawned very clearly and professor Slughorn said: "My, my, I have forgotten about the time altogether. Seventh years are free tomorrow but off course the rest of you isn't. And it is still OWLs-time!" he added in shock. He hushed them all off to bed.

Bella walked back to the Slytherin common room with Andy and Cissy, who all of a sudden didn't seem so sleepy anymore.

"Thanks," Bella grinned at Cissy. "I was glad to be able to leave that party. What a waste of time."

Cissy giggled. "No problem. I could see you didn't really feel comfortable."

"I think that to say she didn't feel comfortable is an understatement," Andy said dryly. They laughed.

"Gosh, I'm so going to miss this," Bella sighed.

"What, Slughorn's parties?" Andy raised an eyebrow.

"No, this, just hanging out with you girls. When I'm married, I'll have to go and live somewhere else off course."

The atmosphere changed. They hadn't even thought about the part that Bella would be leaving their parental house.

"We will miss you too," Cissy said, her eyes filling with tears. "But we'll come visit you as much as we can off course."

"Yeah, we might even come and [i]babysit[/i]," Andy teased.

Bella shivered. "Don't say that," she said and drew a face. "I can't even think about it."

August came quickly and all during the holidays, the girls' parents had been preparing for the wedding. The Lestranges had come over to stay for a couple of nights prior to the wedding and the more Andy and Cissy saw of Rodolphus, the more they were certain that Bella was to be pitied to be marrying him. They found him dull and arrogant and avoided him whenever they could. Bella off course had to spent some time with him, not only during 'family dinners' but also just the two of them together. He still didn't talk much but since Bella sorted of accepted him, they got on a bit better than they had done when they still had lessons from Lord Voldemort together.

The day before the wedding, she finally managed to ask him the question that been keeping her awake at night for weeks now. "Why?"

He looked at her, puzzled. "What do you mean, why?"

"Why me? Why now? Why in this way? Just … why?" she replied.

"Because you're a very talented witch. Even Lord Voldemort speaks highly of you. You're a pure-blood of a well-known family. And you're not bad looking either," he added, barely audible.

"But why didn't you ask me, instead of my parents?"

"Because that's the way these things are done. And besides, would you have consented had I asked you in person?"

She thought about it. "Most likely not," she replied in honesty.

"There you go." He looked a bit hurt but quickly pulled up a smile. "You'll learn to love me," he said confidently. "Things like this are how it's always been in pure-blood families. Both our parents were put together by [i]their[/i] parents and they manage alright."

Bella sighed. She couldn't imagine one day actually loving Rodolphus. Growing fond of him? Perhaps. But love? She doubted it.

On the seventeenth of August, everyone was frantically arranging this or that little detail, before the guests would arrive. There would be a lot of them, given the number of chairs outlined in the grounds.

"I've taken a look at the list," Andy had whispered to Bella. "It looks like every member of every pure-bloodfamily is invited, as if everyone who is 'someone' will show up today."

Bella sighed, something she did a lot these days. "Just great, I'll be sold off like a cow, [i]and[/i] the entire wizarding world will be there to witness it."

"We'll be by your side Bella," Cissy said reassuringly. "Don't worry, everything will be alright. They're no monsters and I'm sure everyone is just here to celebrate."

"I don't think it will be like the Slughorn party at all," Andy assisted.

"Ah well, let's just get it over with," Bella said, just like she had done at the Slughorn party.

They were standing at the door as music began to play. "This is it then," Bella said nervously. She clenched and unclenched her hands. She wore a beautiful emerald green gown with long sleeves that was embroidered with the Black family crest on the body. At the end of the gown, enchanted butterflies were attached, so that they lifted the tail of the gown in the air. Her raven hair was donned up and she carried a tiara.

"You look stunning," Andy said. They held the door open for her and Bella strode outside. It was even busier than she had imagined. People turned and started to stare at her as she carefully walked down the aisle, accompanied by her sisters. At the end of the aisle, an ardour had been erected with flowers hanging from its trellises, and Rodolphus stood there waiting. Bella swallowed. [i]This actually [/i]was[i] it. After today, she would be a married woman and would have to go and live somewhere else.[/i] Rodolphus smiled when she arrived at the ardour and when she turned, she noticed her parents were smiling too. It was a sight she had never seen before, so it confused her a moment. She quickly scanned the crowd. Would [i]he[/i] be present? She didn't spot him in the blur of faces. Rodolphus took her hand and she turned back.

The wedding minister stood with his wand at the ready. "Let the ceremony begin," he said. He took Rodolphus' and Bellatrix' hands and joined them together. Thus started the complicated ritual of hand binding. It consisted of a complicated spell uttered by the wedding minister. A flash of gold left his wand as he carefully drew circles around them and more specifically around their hands.

"Will thy, Rodolphus Ardurio Lestrange, take Bellatrix Estrella Black as your wife? Are you willing to take care of her and to follow the terms the Wizengamot has stated for marriages?"

"I will," Rodolphus calmly replied and a new shot of gold left the minister's wand. He then turned to Bella.

"Will thy, Bellatrix Estrella Black, take Rodolphus Ardurio Lestrange as your husband? Will you cherish and obey him, and are you willing to follow the terms the Wizengamot has stated for marriages?"

Bella noticed the differences in text between hers and Rodolphus' and knew she would never 'obey' a man. But with a lump in her throat, Bella said "I will."

One final time a shot of gold left the minister's wand, connecting with the ones he had fired just before. The lines of gold flamed as they ensnared themselves around their wrists, drawing in closer with every swirl.

"Then I now pronounce you husband and wife," the minister said and the golden flames disappeared, leaving a thin gold line around their wrists. "Congratulations."

Everybody cheered and applauded and people came rushing towards them to congratulate them. Bella shook more hands than she could count, saw more faces than she could remember. Then, at last, [i]he[/i] stood in front of her.

"Ah, Bella," he said in his deep velvety voice. "Who would have guessed." He sounded bemused. "You look absolutely beautiful." When he kissed her hand, Bella shivered by the touch. He was oozing with magic and she knew he must have been using magic not long ago. She smiled.

"I'm glad you could come," she said.

"The pleasure is all mine. I'm afraid I have to go already but I couldn't stay home with my two talented students getting married, now could I?" He inclined his head and kissed her hand again, making way for grey haired witch to congratulate the couple.

His presence had caused a lot of whispers, some excited, others not that much. Bella tried to listen as to what people were saying.

"Was that… was that really Lord Voldemort?" she heard someone ask.

"I would say so," a witch answered. "But what was he doing here?"

"Attending the wedding, I suppose," a second witch joined in.

"When my Evangeline got married last month he wasn't there," the first witch objected.

"Perhaps his Lordships values some families over others," a third witch said haughtily. Bella's stomach turned. She recognised the voice as that of her mother.

"Then why didn't he stay and greet you, Druella? Or maybe you mean that he thinks most highly of the Lestranges, and not so very much of your own family?"

Bella sighed as the argument moved away. He hadn't said it with that many words but she knew that the only reason he had come, was because of her, and she felt proud of it.


	10. Debts to pay

10. DEPTS TO PAY

One and a half year had past since Bella's marriage. She had settled in her role as a wife and found that it actually wasn't [i]that[/i] hard. She and Rodolphus had moved into an Estate in the Vale of Glamorgan, which had beautiful surroundings. Bella had decided Rodolphus wasn't that bad after all, but she still held no love for him. When after one and a half year Bella still hadn't 'secured the bloodlines', parents on both ends were starting to show their disgruntlement. Most of the time, she tried to ignore their marks of displeasure. It got to her, though, since she was secretly asking herself the same question: why wasn't she with child yet? The only ones to know how she truly felt were Andy and Cissy; to others she masked her feelings. She had had time to practise, whilst becoming more and more skilled in shielding her thoughts.

She and Rodolphus still practised the Dark Arts, though Bella more than Rodolphus. She grabbed every opportunity she could to use them. She no longer thought about her Hogwarts lessons on how to defend oneself from them but instead clung to the use of them, because doing so put her in a delirium-like state and made her feel vibrant with power. Lord Voldemort often asked her to accompany him when he went on 'missions', which weren't very different from the first 'mission' he had taken her on. Sometimes it would just be the two of them, on other occasions more participated. Bella had earned the respect of those who believed in Lord Voldemort's cause, both for her actions as for the fact that he spoke highly of her magical abilities.

At the Estate in the Vale of Glamorgan, the mottos of both the Lestrange and the Black family were omnipresent. Both stated the superiority of pure-bloods, thus creating the atmosphere for it to become a place to gather for a select group of witches and wizards. They were the ones most close to Lord Voldemort, the fiercest Muggle-haters, the truest believers in the pure-blood supremacy. They were, as he called them, the Walpurgis Knights. Many of them had been present at the dinner party at Black Estate but there were others as well. As much as her parents questioned her alleviation of childlessness, they revelled in Bella's role as an outstanding 'sergeant' to Lord Voldemort's knights. Bella's status, both as a trustee of Lord Voldemort and as a wife to a Lestrange, reflected well on their own social position too.

Andy didn't like coming around whenever there was a gathering. With a lot of her friends being half-bloods and, Bella was sure, some of them even Muggle-born, she despised the long conversations on pure-blood supremacy. She and Bella had one day ferociously clashed over their principles and since then, they didn't see as much of each other as they used to. Bella never told her parents this though. Andy pretended being busy preparing her NEWTs but Bella knew better. She felt as though she and Andy were slowly drifting apart and there was nothing she could do about it.

As a result, both sisters spend more time with Cissy, always the intermediary, the go-to-person for both of them whenever they wanted to complain about the other. Cissy loved both of them deeply but this sometimes drove her crazy.

"Look, fight your own battles, will you?" she told them on one of the occasions they had been crossed with each other. "You both have your beliefs but you're also sisters. My sisters. And I hate being in the middle of it. So keep me out of it, okay?"

"If only she would just see…" Bella began.

"No! Enough of it," Cissy interrupted angrily. "Just… leave it be, will you? Both of you. If not for each other, then do it for me." She had a stern look on her face, but her eyes were nonetheless pleading. Grudgingly, they gave in. From that moment on, there seemed to be somewhat of a truce between them.

Cissy was glad that the bickering had stopped. She had enough on her mind already. For one, fourth year was hell. She now understood why Bella and Andy had merely laughed at her when she said she had a lot of homework and told her to 'wait until fourth year and onwards'. She had never been busier. And then there was also a certain blond-haired Slytherin prefect haunting her dreams, keeping her awake at night so she could barely sleep …

Meanwhile, things seemed to brighten up for Andy as well. She and Ted had started dating again, carefully circling around each other and examining one another. Andy had an internal conflict going on; she really liked Ted, but as he was a Muggle-born, there was no way her parents were ever going to let her marry him. Ted had an internal conflict going on as well. He hadn't forgotten their row in fourth year and rumours of Bella's activities had spread rapidly. He liked Andy but wasn't to keen on the perspective of being tortured by her sister. A lot of students had parents or older siblings engaged in the cause of Lord Voldemort, so word of their relationship would most definitely reach Bella if they acted in the open. As a result, Andy and Ted kept their relationship a secret. They sneaked out to meet in alcoves and empty classrooms and Andy even took Ted to the secret passageway Bella had showed her and Cissy when she was still a fourth year. She was jealous of Cissy. At least [i]she[/i] was in love with an respectable, pure-blood Slytherin. They were not an item yet but Andy felt it wouldn't take long. And when they eventually should get together, no one would be bothered by it.

She did very well on her NEWTs and she even got a note from Bella, congratulating her. [i]Well done sis! Time to start Healing now.[/i] the message said and Andy smiled. She showed the message to Ted, who snorted. But Andy was happy. It was very nice of Bella, considering they still only talked chitchat. Nonetheless, Bella had remembered that Andy had voiced the ambition of becoming a Healer and her message referred directly to Andy's preferred career.

She was, however, much less pleased with the message of her parents she received a couple of days later. She had opened the envelop and needed only to read the first lines to know what it was. It was a letter similar to the one Bella had received now nearly two years ago. She let the letter drop on the table. Her face had taken an ashen undertone and her hands were shaking. It took her only a second to decide what to do. She rushed to her dormitory. Luckily, she had already packed, so it didn't take her long to take her suitcase, which she shrunk. She then rushed over to the Ravenclaw common room. Ted was just about to enter it when he saw her.

"Andy? What's wrong?" he asked when he saw her face.

"Ted, if you care about me, pack your belongings and leave with me this very instant," she said.

"But what…"

"Please," she begged, her voice trembling. He raised an eyebrow but the look on her face was one of utter desperation.

"Just a minute," he finally said and disappeared in the Ravenclaw common room.

Andy waited with her hands clenched and finally, after what had seemed to her like an eternity; he reappeared, lifting his heavy trunk.

"So, where to?" he simply asked and Andy could just hug him for being so understanding.

"I don't know," she replied honestly. "We just need to be going now."

"Well, if you don't mind spending time with a Muggle family," he grinned, "my parents are very nice people."

Andy hesitated for a split second. If she went this way, there would be no turning back. His face dropped. "Or isn't that good enough for you?"

"Of course it is." She managed to smile. "I would love to meet your parents."

She shrunk his trunk too and they went to the statue of the witch guarding the entrance to the secret passageway, since it was impossible to Disapparate out of Hogwarts. They waited until they saw professor McGonagall leave the hall before they darted into the alcove where the witch stood. They tapped her hat murmuring 'dissendium' and then quickly sneaked into the passageway. When they had made it out of Honeydukes, Andy grabbed Ted's arm.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

She nodded, not trusting her voice. The nauseating feeling overwhelmed her and she had to cough the moment they stopped moving. When she finally looked up, she saw that they were standing near a cosy cottage on the countryside.

"This is where you live?" she asked, astonished. She absolutely loved the rose gardens surrounding he cottage.

"Yeah, we couldn't just Apparate in the living room now could we? We would scare the living daylight out of my Mum," he shrugged.

"I love it." Andy turned to him and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you," she whispered.

"Come," he said and started to steer her gently towards the little cottage. The door squeaked as he pushed it open.

"Mum? Don't be scared, it's just me," Ted, who first went in, yelled.

A witch appeared in the doorway of the kitchen, looking shocked at him. "Ted!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here? I thought school didn't end until next week!"

"Well, things changed a bit," he said and stepped aside. "I brought someone. Mum, this is Andy." Andy lowered her head and blinked as she too passed through the doorway.

Ted's mother looked at her, aghast at the sudden guest. When she saw Andy's trembling figure, she walked over to her and hugged her tight.

"I don't know what's got you so upset dear, but you can stay here as long as you like."

Her kind voice was enough for Andy to start crying. Tears run down her face and Ted's mother gently stroked her hair. "Now now, it can't be that bad," she shushed. "Ted, don't just stand there. Get her some tea, will you?" Ted hastily scurried towards a stove where a kettle was placed.

Cissy found a letter on one of the tables in the Slytherin common room. Curiously, she picked it up to see who had left it there. Her eyes darted over the sentences and she felt a knot tying up in her stomach. The letter was addressed to Andy and after reading the contents, Cissy sank into one of the chairs. She instantly knew what this meant. If Andy had read this letter, and there was no reason why she shouldn't have since it was opened and left carelessly behind, she most likely had fled. She remembered Andy's words when they had read Bella's letter. [i]I would never agree to a proposal like this,[/i] Andy had stated.

Cissy didn't know how long she had been sitting there, but she jumped as someone touched her shoulder.

"Is everything okay?"

She looked up to the person who had spoken. Her heart skipped a beat when she looked into the dazzling grey eyes of Lucius Malfoy, the boy she had had a crush on for months now.

"I'm fine," she said. "I think," she added in so soft a voice he had to lean in closer to hear her.

"Are you sure? You don't look fine," he sounded worried. Cissy shook her head and behind her back, she clenched the letter tight into her fist. As much as she fancied him, she didn't want him to read the letter. It was private. She was vaguely aware of the fact that he still had his hand on her shoulder.

"Well, come on then," he said. "Sadness doesn't go well with your pretty face."

She gave him a watery smile and he smiled back. "There you go, that's much better."

"I have some news for you you might find interesting," Rodolphus announced to Bella when she returned from a 'visit' to a Muggle community. "I've just heard it from Rabastan."

When she didn't reply directly, he continued: "He has asked your parents for Andromeda's hand and they have consented. So you can help her prepare her wedding this summer."

Bella just looked at him, stunned. [i]Rabastan wanted to marry Andy?[/i] She just couldn't get her mind around it. Whichever way she put it, it just sounded … weird.

She remembered the conversation they had had when her own marriage was announced, and how fiercely Andy had said that she 'would never agree to such a proposal'. How would she take it when she found out her parents had arranged a marriage without her knowing of it? She doubted Andy would consent herself to the wishes of their parents.

"Andy wants to be a Healer," without thinking she had said it out loud.

"I don't think she'll have time to study besides her duties as a wife."

Bella clenched her fists. "So, you think she should just give up the things she's dreamed off only because that brother of yours came up with the idea that he wanted to marry her?"

"Well, it worked out fine for you, didn't it?" The moment he had said it, he realised it was a huge mistake. Bella slapped him hard in the face. He grunted in pain as he felt his jaw move in a way it shouldn't.

"How dare you," she hissed. "You wouldn't be so high in Lord Voldemort's ranks if it weren't for me. How dare you talk to me like you're my better?" She turned and stalked away, furious. It took her all her self-control not to curse him to pieces.

She withdrew in her quarters and frantically paced up and down. [i]How could it have come this far? How could she not have seen this coming?[/i]

She needed to do something, let Andy know it hadn't been her idea, so Andy wouldn't spend the rest of her life hating her for something she had no part in. She said down to write her a letter but she couldn't get the words right. Everything she wrote just didn't sound sincere. Eventually, she wrote down a short note, congratulating her on passing her NEWTs. [i]Well done sis![/i] she wrote. [i]Time to start Healing now.[/i] She looked it over twice but she couldn't get anything else in writing. It was like she was empty.

With a sigh, she went to tie the little note to one of the owls and watched as it took to the sky. She hoped Andy would understand that she wanted her to go along with her dreams, that she hoped Andy would become a Healer. She just hoped Andy would get the message behind her words.

However, it wasn't Andy she received a note from a couple of days later, but Cissy.

Andy didn't show up that evening, nor the next morning. Cissy began to get really worried. Where could Andy have gone? Just after breakfast, Amelia came rushing to her, asking her if she knew where Andy was. "I haven't seen her since yesterday and that's nothing for Andy," she said. "Is she ill?"

"I don't know," Cissy shook her head sadly. "I doubt that she's ill, but I don't know where she is." She bit her lip.

Amelia looked at her, quizzically. "How can you not know where she is? Surely you must've seen her in the Slytherin common room?"

"Not since yesterday. I fear… I fear she might have disappeared." Saying it out loud made it ten times worse.

"Disappeared?" Amelia echoed. "What do you mean? Cissy, what's going on?" She was alarmed by the look on Cissy's face and by her words.

Cissy hesitated for a moment. Could she tell Amelia? But Amelia was Andy's best friend and she cared for her too. She breathed in deeply.

"Do you remember Bella's wedding, two years ago?"

Amelia nodded. "Who wouldn't? It must have been like the most excessive wedding party in ages. But what has that got to do with Andy?"

"Do you also remember what happened before that, when Bella was still at Hogwarts and just finished her NEWTs, just like you and Andy have now?"

Amelia frowned and then her face cleared. "You mean the invitation?"

"A little before that, but yes, that's about what I mean. Days before you received your invitation, Bella was informed by my parents that was she going to get married."

"Yes, I remember Andy telling something like that. Andy was furious, said that if they ever tried to force [i]her[/i] into a marriage, she would… oh my god!" Amelia clasped a hand to her mouth. "They haven't, now have they?"

Cissy nodded sadly. "I found the letter yesterday on a table in the Slytherin common room. When I went to her dormitory, I saw that all her belongings had been gone. I have no idea where she is," she said desperately. "I just hope she's not doing something stupid."

Amelia stood frozen. "This is terrible," she managed to say in the end. "And she hasn't left you a note as to where you could find her?"

"No. I was hoping she might have told you but she obviously left in a rush."

The two girls, younger sister and best friend, looked at each other, to worried to say anything for a while.

"She can't be with family?" Amelia asked hopeful.

Cissy laughed bitterly. "Like that's going to happen. You know what our parents are like. No, if she has fled to someone she knows, it should be one of her friends. But since the holidays haven't started yet and everyone is still at Hogwarts, that's not very likely either. Maybe she's staying at [i]The Three Broomsticks[/i]. I'll go and check right away."

Amelia frowned. "How are you going to do that? It's not a Hogsmeade day and besides, you're a fourth year, so you still have classes."

"I don't care about them classes, my sister is missing! And I'll be going through the secret passageway."

"Wait, what? There's a secret passageway to Hogsmeade?"

"Andy never told you about it?" Cissy was sincerely surprised. "It leads into the cellar of Honeydukes."

"If you're going, I'm going with you," Amelia decided firmly. Cissy wanted to say something but changed her mind. She nodded instead. "Let's not waste any time then."

She went ahead, closely followed by Amelia. She couldn't care about people noticing them but just went ahead, tapped the witches' hat and whispered 'dissendium'.

"Weird!" Amelia said when the passageway became visible. Cissy knew exactly how she felt, she had felt the same the first time she had seen it. "Lumos," she said, thus illuminating the passageway. Amelia followed her example. They were lucky, cause it was rather busy in Honeydukes, so no one noticed them.

"You know, if it wasn't for Andy being missing, I might have actually enjoyed this," Amelia said as they stepped into the sun.

The first thing they did, was to go to [i]The Three Broomsticks[/i].

"What are you girls doing here at this hour of the day? Don't you have school?" The owner looked at them suspiciously when they walked in.

"We are looking for my sister," Cissy replied. "She's disappeared and we figured she might be staying her. Is she?" She knew it sounded bold but she didn't care. She just wanted to find Andy.

"I have only one guest at the moment and that's a fifty-something wizard."

"Oh." Cissy tried to keep the disappointment out of her voice but failed miserably.

"Look, I can keep an eye out, okay? What's her name?"

"Andy."

"Very well. If an Andy shows up, I'll tell her to contact you, okay?"

"Thanks," Cissy murmured. They greeted the owner and walked out. Cissy was desperate. If not in [i]The Three Broomsticks[/i], where could Andy be?

"There's another inn," Amelia said. "[i]The Hog's Head[/i]. She might be there," she sounded like she didn't believe it herself, but they went to check nonetheless. It was the same story; no Andy. Miserable and worried, they went back through the passageway.

"I must tell Bella," Cissy said. "Maybe she can help, since she's not bound to stay at Hogwarts. I'll write to her immediately."

"Let me know if you find out anything, will you?" Amelia pleaded.

"Of course. You too."

They both went their way; Amelia to Ravenclaw tower, Cissy to the Slytherin common room to write to Bella. When she finally tied her letter to one of the owls in the Owlery, it wasn't quite the letter she had intended to write, but besides help, she also needed something of a clarification from Bella.

[i]Dear Bella,

I'm sure you have knowledge of the letter Father and Mother wrote to Andy and I'm also sure you remember how she reacted when you received one likewise.

Why did Rabastan ask for her hand in marriage? Andy hates the guy; she thinks he's a pompous twit. But you already knew that. Did you have anything to do with it? Cause if you did … then it's all your fault. You knew she would react strongly to a marriage like your own – no offense.

But now, Andy's gone and I haven't got the faintest idea as to where she might be, neither does Amelia. She isn't anywhere at Hogwarts and me and Amelia have already checked if she was staying somewhere in Hogsmeade. I'm worried sick.

Is there anything you can do? Anything that might help me track her down? Please, Bella, I don't know who else to turn to.

With love, Cissy[/i]

Bella slowly lowered the letter she had received from Cissy. Her heart was racing and she was thinking rapidly. So Andy had indeed run away to chase her dreams. It made her proud and anxious at the same time. Proud that Andy chose her own path, anxious that something might've happened to her. Anxious also, as to how Rabastan and her parents would react to Andy's disappearance.

She quickly scribbled an answer to Cissy's letter. Yes, she had known about it and no, she had had nothing to do with it. She didn't know where Andy was and she was as worried about her as Cissy was. She tied her response to the owl that had brought her Cissy's letter and sent it on its way.

"Oh Andy, what've you done?" she sighed as she watched the owl disappear on the horizon. "I hope you know what you're doing and that the path you've chosen makes you happy."

She spent the next few days trying to find information about Andy's whereabouts but it proved very difficult to do so without letting people know she was missing. There was one thing she was postponing for as long as she could but she soon realised she had to act to avoid greater trouble. She had to tell Rabastan and Rodolphus before her parents would go and sent out invitations to a wedding Bella knew would never take place.

She went to the room Rabastan was staying in and knocked. "Yes?" Rodolphus' voice sounded from the other end of the door. [i]Just great, they were both there.[/i]

She took a deep breath, drew herself to her full height and entered.

"What is it?" they said, frowning when they saw her.

"I have received word that Andy will not be marrying you Rabastan," she said after a little silence. "It appears she has vanished."

"How can she have vanished? That's just ridiculous." Rabastan objected.

"Well, apparently, she has. So there will be no wedding." Her words reverberated in the air and both brothers looked at her.

"But we're already preparing," Rodolphus said slowly.

"I know," she sighed. "You'll just have to cancel it."

Rabastan jumped up, furious. "This just can't happen. She has an obligation. Your parents consented to the marriage. If she will not show up to marry me, I shall call upon the blood dept!" he shouted.

Bella stared at him, in shock. Her throat felt like squeezed and all colour left her face. "The blood dept?" she could barely manage to say. "Surely you don't mean that."

"As if I mean it! She mustn't think she can just play this on me. I'll hunt her down and I will kill her. You know it's my right."

"No. I will not let you hurt her," she said. She had found her voice again and was locking his eyes in hers, daring him to defy her.

"Fine. I will not hurt her, I will just let her be and have your other sister instead."

"Cissy? You can't. She's so young." [i]And in love with another pureblood, if I'm not mistaken the looks she has been sending young Lucius Malfoy last time around,[/i] she added to herself.

Rabastan started to laugh. "You seem to think you have quite a lot to say in this. I'll tell you something: you haven't. Kill the betrayer or receive a close female relative as an indemnification. You know that's how the blood debt works Bellatrix." His voice had gotten an icy tone.

Bella was familiar with the principle of blood dept, but it was ancient. It was barbaric and with the equalisation of witches it had gone in oblivion. It was however, never officially discarded.

"It's either one way or the other. Andromeda or Narcissa, who's it gonna be?"

Bella's mind was racing. She could not possible make a decision. Andy killed or Cissy given away like she was some kind of slave. She couldn't do that, to either of them. If only there was something she could do to protect them …

"There is another way," she heard herself say. She inhaled. "Andy has another sister," she said, barely audible.

"I'm not sure I quite get it …" Rabastan slowly said.

She turned to him. "Andy has another sister," she repeated, a little louder this time. On the outside she looked calm but inside she was shaking. [i]It really was the only possibility to save her sisters from harm.[/i] "I'll take Cissy's place, if you promise to leave both of them alone."

In the silence that followed, one might have heard a needle dropping. Rodolphus inhaled sharply but she stood her ground, looking both of them straight in the eye to show them she had meant it.

"You are in no position to make that bargain," Rodolphus grunted. "You're married."

"The principle of blood dept states that the one who is wronged will get a close female relative of the one who did the wronging as an indemnification. The principle doesn't speak of the marital status of said female." Her voice trembled a bit.  
"You're my wife and I forbid you to …" Rodolphus began.

"I'm afraid you haven't got much to say in this matter dear brother," Rabastan said. "The blood dept is between me and the Black family. Being a Black, Bellatrix can make this proposal, whether you like it or not." He looked at his brother derogatory and then looked back at Bella. "I'll accept your offer," he said. He grinned devilishly at Rodolphus. "Looks like you're going to have to share her from now on, dear brother."

Rodolphus looked at her, infuriated. "Fine, you can have her whenever you like. I don't care."

"I'm [i]so[/i] glad you consent," Rabastan smirked. "Now would be as good a time as any."

"You… you… " Rodolphus stuttered, his face crimson.

"You said whenever I liked, right? So could you please leave the room now? Send the Blacks a message that the wedding will be off."

"How dare you order me around in my own house?" Rodolphus spat. He turned around, knocked over a chair and slammed the door on the way out.

"So, it's you and me now," Rabastan said slowly.

Bella swallowed away the lump in her throat. Her sisters would be safe, but she knew that from now on, she would be at the mercy of Rabastan. And judging by the look on his face, it sure wasn't going to be pleasant.


	11. The end of a bloodline

11. THE END OF A BLOOD LINE

Bella took her precautions though. Even if she had offered herself to Rabastan to do with as he pleased in order to save her sisters, that didn't mean she wanted to ever carry his offspring. She drew out her wand, carefully. His eyes narrowed.

"What are you doing?" he asked suspiciously.

Bella knew she would have only one chance. She focused really hard on the spell and sent it towards Rabastan, without voicing the incantation. A red flash left her wand and hit Rabastan. He fell to the floor, yelping in pain. Bellatrix just stood there, her wand in her hand, and watched him. She had the same smirking expression on her face Rabastan had expressed towards Rodolphus earlier on. "You didn't think I would give in that easily, would you?" she said and snorted. "Surely even [i]you[/i] must know I'm not that stupid."

It took Rabastan a minute or two to recover somewhat from the spell Bella had casted. "What have you done bitch?" he screamed in anger.

"Just taking my precautions," she replied coldly, "You'll never reproduce."

Rabastan let out a laugh close to insanity. "You needn't have bothered. Or perhaps you failed to notice that in two years you still haven't giving my brother a child?" He said sarcastically. "Or have you done the same to him? That might explain some things." He slowly got up.

Bella looked at him, her eyes narrowing. "We may not be the perfect couple, but he's still my husband," she said.

"You're like an Ukrainian Ironbelly, nothing can grow inside your womb!" he shouted. "And you will pay for what you've done to me!"

Bella recoiled at his words; she felt like she had been stabbed with a knife. All blood drew from her face and tears welled up in her eyes but she fought them back. She would not show him he had hurt her. "How dare you?" she managed. She drew her wand again.

"You'd better not be using it again," he said dangerously. "Or I might change my mind about our little agreement."

Bella froze. It obviously was a treat to hurt her sisters instead.

"Ah, not so certain of ourselves anymore now, are we?" he smirked and fired a spell at the door. Bella heard a bang and knew he had magically locked it and that she was trapped. And he knew that she knew. "I think it's about time we had some fun, [i]Bella[/i]," he whispered with a devilish smile as he came closer. He mockingly ran a finger across her face and she shivered.

"So pretty," he said. "Such a shame my brother got to you first. But your sister resembles you. Too bad for you she fled, eh? And you just couldn't consent to an agreement you yourself proposed, no, you had to go and humiliate me. When I'm through with you, you'll be sorry about that. You shouldn't have pissed me off Bellatrix, you really shouldn't have." He shook his head and suddenly he grabbed her by the hair and pulled. She gasped. Her heart was pounding in her chest.

"Screaming won't help you," he said, reducing his voice to a whisper once more, "As you may remember, my brother was rather … annoyed with you when he left. He won't be coming back anytime soon. And no house elf would dare enter this room unless summoned."

That night, Bella lay awake and stared up at the ceiling. Rodolphus was sleeping and tears slowly travelled across her cheeks. Her entire body was aching. She knew Rabastan might not have treated her this bad had she not cursed him, but at this moment she hated him with all her might. AIt least Cissy will not have to endure this," she whispered into the night. It was her only consolation, knowing that her sisters couldn't be harmed by Rabastan.

The only way to cope with how Rabastan was treating her was to shield her thoughts, harden her soul, so he couldn't get to her. Rodolphus ignored her most of the time, and when he did speak to her, he called her 'whore', not 'Bellatrix' like before. She frantically pounced herself onto the Dark Arts, currying favours with Lord Voldemort whilst showing a ferocity unlike any of the other of his followers. Her eyes had gotten a dangerous glint and they all rather not cross her, for they knew they would regret it sooner or later.

It was during those days that Lord Voldemort voiced an idea. When the Walpurgis Knights were gathered in the dining room at the Estate, he spoke in his soft, velvety voice: "I think we need something to contact each other. Something so we could ask for assistance, without having to use owls."

"What did you have in mind my Lord?" Mulciber asked and leaned in a little closer.

"I'll show you, Melchior," he replied. "If you would be so kind as to give me your arm. No, not your wand arm, the other one. Could you roll up the sleeve of your robe?"

Mulciber did as requested, revealing his bare forearm. Lord Voldemort took his arm, drew his wand and placed the tip on Mulciber skin. As he started chanting a very long and very complicated incantation, he began to draw lines with his wand. Mulciber screamed but Lord Voldemort didn't release his arm. A smell of burnt flesh filled the room as he continued drawing lines, along with the screams of Mulciber. When he was finished, he held out Mulciber's arm. It showed a drawing of a snake in black ink.

"Now, if Melchior here wants to contact me, he needs only press this mark on his forearm and I will know. The snake is of course a direct link to my ancestor Salazar Slytherin," he said arrogantly. He looked around the table. "So, who will be next?" he asked matter-of-factly.

Several of the Knights shrunk back in their chairs, but Bella leapt up. "I will be next, my Lord," she said.

"Ah Bella," he said contented. "I might have guessed." He didn't need to ask her to roll up her sleeve, since she had already done so. She eagerly held out her forearm to him. When he grabbed it, she felt a familiar powerful sensation of dark magic overwhelming her. He placed the tip of his wand on her skin and began repeating the ritual he had performed on Mulciber, tracing lines and chanting the incantation. It hurt more than Bella had expected, but she bit her tongue to prevent herself from screaming. Not a single sound left her lips and when he was finished, Bella touched the snake affectionately. Having a bit of his power, a direct connection with him… She felt the dark magic pouring in her veins now. She couldn't understand why the others didn't jump to the occasion as well.

Lord Voldemort gave her a nod with his head and again looked around the table.

"Well, you can take an example to Bella here," he said and Bella smiled.

One by one, the other Knights followed her example until everyone was marked. The smell of burnt flesh hung over everything in the room. Bella was one of the very few women on the table and she was proud of the fact that out of all of the Knights, she was the only one who hadn't screamed.

When everyone had received the mark, Lord Voldemort spoke again. "My dear Knights, from now on, if anyone of you is in need of assistance he, or she," he added with a glance at Bella, "needs only press the mark and everyone will feel it. I will come, as I expect all of you to come as soon as you feel the burning of your marks. There isn't a lot we can't do and together we shall rid the wizarding world of those filthy mudbloods."

They all roared with applause and he bowed.

A couple of weeks later, Bella felt subtle changes in her body. She had been craving for them to happen for over a year, but now that they did, she panicked. Had the spell bounced off? Had she not concentrated enough? Had she flicked her wand the wrong way? She had to find out how far along she was. She knew that if she had made a mistake, she would sourly regret it, as she was sure Rodolphus would never accept it. So she started counting backwards. She repeated the counting three times and every time she got the same result: she would be almost three months now.

She sighed, relieved. Three months, that was long before Rabastan. So it was definitely Rodolphus'. She didn't know why it had taken them so long, but it had eventually happened. She hoped Rabastan would cut her some slack now that she was expecting.

She went to the salon where she knew she would find Rodolphus at this time of day. She knocked before entering. Rodolphus was indeed in the salon, as was Rabastan. They looked at each other angrily and Bella had the idea she was interrupting something. "Rodolphus, can I speak with you for a moment? In private?"

"I'm in the middle of something. I'm sure it can wait," he grunted and turned back to Rabastan, eyes spitting fire. "Like I just said …" he said angrily to his brother.

"Wait a minute," she interrupted him. "You can't just shove me off like that, I'm your wife!"

"Oh so you remember now?" he sneered. "Last time around, you couldn't be bothered too much with that 'little' detail, could you?"

"Look, I didn't ca

ome here to argue nor to fight," she said.

"Yeah? Then what [i]did[/i] you come here for?"

She hesitated. He sure wasn't in a good mood, so maybe now wasn't the right time to tell. "I'll come back later," she decided. "I really need to talk to you privately."

He snorted. "Since apparently my brother and I seem to be sharing [i]everything[/i] these days, included my house and my wife" he said darkly, "just tell us."

Bella felt anger building up inside at the way he treated her but she tried to withhold it. Spurting it now could only harm her cause.

"Very well then, if you insist," she replied. She took a deep breath and said as calmly as she could: "I'm expecting your child."

The reaction she received wasn't the one she had been hoping for. For a second, she thought she saw his eyes lighten up but then his face fell.

"And to which one of us are you referring?"

"Well, you of course. Why else would I want to talk to you in private?"

Rabastan burst out in laughter, it sounded wrong. "Ha, quite the wife you've got yourself Rodolphus! Not only does she humiliate you by offering herself to your brother, she now comes to rub your face in it!"

Bella looked at him angrily and was already reaching for her wand. Rodolphus' face had also taken on an even deeper shade of crimson.

"Oh, she plays the sweet innocent wife now, but you should hear how she screams in the bedroom. I'm thinking she missed out on a lot the past two years. Haven't you been giving her what she needed?" he mocked.

Rodolphus now stood up. He also drew his wand.

"Come on, Rodolphus, even to you it should obvious! Two years with you: nothing. Two months with me and all of a sudden she would be carrying your child? Face it, it's not yours."

"Shut up!" Bella yelled. "You're a liar. This child can't be yours and you know it!" She turned to Rodolphus. "I'm almost three months now," she said. "Three months, Rodolphus, you know what that means?"

"That you can't count," Rabastan sneered.

"It isn't yours!" she screamed. "Keep out of it!"

"I don't believe you," Rodolphus said coldly. "Did you really think I would buy it?"

"I'm not expecting you to 'buy' anything," she said, "I'm telling the truth. I'm three months now, so it's your child I'm carrying."

"I'm not that stupid."

"You'd rather believe that brother of yours than your own wife?"

"You mean the wife that couldn't wait to go and offer herself to my brother when the occasion arose? Just like Rabastan said, it's a little too coincidental."

"Fine, don't believe me then!" she shouted.

They stood opposite of one another, wands drawn, furious to a point one of them might kill the other. Rabastan just laughed, mocking her, mocking Rodolphus.

"I will not allow my wife to carry my brother's offspring," Rodolphus said, his voice drenched in anger. He flicked his wand and yelled: "Abortio!"

Bella fired a protective spell, but she wasn't quick enough. A flash of red light hit her at the place where her unborn child was growing. "NO!" she screamed as a terrible pain spread through her. She grabbed the doorpost but could barely hold it together as a new flash of pain spread through her body. She sank to the floor in agony. Her instincts told her she would not only be loosing this child but would also never again be able to conceive. Something snapped inside her and she screamed again. Clenching one hand to her stomach, she raised her wand with the other hand and pointed it at Rodolphus.

"You are just as terrible a person as your brother. So you'll just have to share his fate." Her voice pitched when she shouted: "The Lestrange bloodline ends here! Castrato!"

Just like Rabastan had done weeks prior, he fell to the ground, screaming in pain.

Bella staggered onto one of the chairs, still clenching her stomach. Tears of anger and of sorrow were streaming down her face, she didn't even try to hold them back. She felt so much hatred towards the Lestrange brothers that the only thing she wanted to do was to hurt them.

"See, I told you you would regret the day you pissed me off," Rabastan sneered. "Looks like I'm no longer the only one never to be able to reproduce again."

His remark was the final push over the edge. She got up and shouted "Crucio!" The spell bounced of the wall as a flash of red found its way towards Rabastan. He screamed in agony but Bella showed no mercy. She fired another 'crucio'spell at him, her only goal being to inflict pain. However, she noticed hers wasn't the only one. She looked aside and saw that Rodolphus had raised his wand too, his face thwarted in anger. Hit by two 'crucio'spells at the same time, Rabastan squealed and screeched like a pig. Bella laughed maniacally: "Like I told Lord Voldemort on the day I first met him: If you mean to harm me, you're meddling with the wrong witch!" She rolled her wand between her fingers, enjoying the sight of him suffering, chuckling as he screamed.

"Well, well, what have we here?" the cold voice surprised her. She looked up. "My Lord?" she asked. Rodolphus had looked up as well. Rabastan was no longer being hit by spells and slowly the screaming died away. He lay on the floor, panting. Lord Voldemort, for it was indeed he who had entered, raised an eyebrow. "What is going on here?" he asked with a hint of amusement in his voice. Neither of them answered. He turned to Bella and made eye contact. She knew what he was trying to do, and she just let him. She didn't have the strenght to keep her guards up. And besides, it was easier if she didn't have to tell.

"I see," he said slowly.

Rodolphus looked a bit confused from Bella to Lord Voldemort. Not a word had been spoken, yet Lord Voldemort seemed to know exactly just what had happened.

"I came here to talk to you about leading one of my new missions," he said to Rodolphus, but still keeping his eyes on Bella, in something that looked like admiration. "But it appears I was considering the wrong family member."

"My Lord?" Rodolphus asked quizzically.

With a minor hand gesture, Lord Voldemort silenced him. "I think you'll make an excellent second-in-command, Bella," he said.

For a moment, Bella was too shocked to say anything, then she sort of bowed. "It would be my pleasure, my Lord," she said, gleaming with pride. She didn't even shot Rodolphus one look when she and Lord Voldemort walked out of the salon.


	12. Loves and losses

Thanks for comments so far and thanks to those of you who have listed this story as a favorite. I apologize for the late update, seeing as I said the story would be finished before Christmas. It turned out that I just couldn't get it right. Chapter 11 took a lot of effort and after that it seemed like the story was at a loss for some time. But I have persevered, so here's not one but two new chapters! I hope you enjoy reading them. Reviews are welcome! :)

12. LOVES AND LOSSES

"We have to tell [i]someone[/i]," Ted insisted. They had been sitting in the living room, drinking tea. They had to drag the story out of Andy, because she refused to talk about it on her own account.

"But your sister, she must be worried," Ted's mum said. "I knew I would be if [i]my[/i] sister just disappeared."

"I can't tell Cissy," Andy answered.

She felt a pang of guilt as she thought about Cissy. Cissy [i]would[/i] be worried. But she just couldn't tell her. She was too afraid her little sister would tell Bella or her parents. She still couldn't believe she had really abandoned it all, left her family behind. But here she was, in a Muggle house, and actually enjoying herself. She almost had to laugh thinking about the look on her parents' faces could they see her now. She thought back at Cissy recounting her holidays in France and smiled. That seemed ages ago now. Maybe Cissy would understand. But then again, maybe she wouldn't.

Ted coughed and she looked embarrassed. Apparently, they had wanted an answer to some question she hadn't heard.

"I'm sorry, I didn't quite get that," she said, flushing.

"Never mind," Ted's mother said. "I just think that even if you don't want to tell where you are, you need to at least let your sister know you're okay."

Reluctantly, Andy admitted she had a point. If the situation had been reversed, she would have wanted to know Cissy was safe. She gave in. "Fine. We can send an owl to Dumbledore. He's not Cissy's favourite, but she'll just have to do with it."

Ted gently squeezed her hand and she smiled.

"How can she not like professor Dumbledore?" Ted's mother asked in surprise. "I mean, I've only met him a couple of times, but he sure seems friendly."

"It's just that he's a … bit peculiar," she said. She had almost said 'muggle-friend', but given the company she was in, she had swallowed those words.

Ted looked at her. She suspected he knew.

By the end of the day, Cissy was beside herself with worry. She had skipped all lessons, something that didn't go unnoticed, since she was usually very serious about studying.

"What's wrong? Are you ill?" Aurore inquired.

Before Cissy could answer, Amelia entered. "Professor Dumbledore wants to see us," she said. They looked at each other. If he wanted to speak to both Cissy and Amelia, then it would probably be about Andy. Whether for the better or for the worse, they did not know. They went to his office.

"Good evening girls," he said. "I'm sure you're wondering why I wanted to speak to the both of you?"

"Is it Andy?" Cissy said in a tight voice. "Is she …. Is everything … okay with her?"

He nodded. "Andy is doing fine, I've received a letter asking me to tell you she's okay. You will understand that I cannot tell you where she is right now."

"But professor," Cissy objected. "Why can't you tell me? I'm her sister! I have a right to know where she is!"

"I reckon she will tell you both when she thinks the time is ready."

Amelia didn't look too pleased, but Cissy was angry. And hurt. Why did Andy shut her out? She understood completely that her older sister didn't want to marry that Rabastan-guy, she thought he was a freak. She shivered.

"I'm sorry I can't help you girls," he said apologetically. "But at least you know she's okay. I'm sure she just needs to cool down a notch and that she will contact you as soon as possible."

But Andy didn't contact Cissy, nor Amelia, and on the Hogwarts Express Cissy wondered what on earth she could tell her parents when they saw that Andy wasn't with her. What would they saw if they learnt that Andy wasn't going to get married? She feared their reaction and hoped they wouldn't be too harsh on her.

She needn't have worried. When she arrived at the Estate, no one mentioned Andy or the upcoming wedding. Her parents seemed to avoid all subject related, which puzzled her. Apparently, they had already known Andy wouldn't be coming home this summer, but it was a mystery to her how they knew.

It was the worst summer of her life. With neither Bella nor Andy around, she was pretty much left to herself. Andy had finally send her a note, but it didn't say much; just that she was happy were she was now, that she had no intention of going back to their parents and that she was sorry she had made her worry so much. Just that, nothing else. No mention about the scheduled wedding – though she might not have known Cissy knew about that – and no mention of either their parents or Bella, which made Cissy think Bella had had something to do with it as well.

She stayed with her for over a week near the end of summer, but at the Lestrange Estate, things were even worse. Rabastan was staying over as well and she avoided him as much as she could. The atmosphere at the Estate was very cold: she noticed that neither Rodolphus nor Bella spoke much to Rabastan, and that Rodolphus and Bella also seemed to ignore each other most of the time. Bella looked gauntly, all the colour seemed to have drawn from her face and her hair, which she usually took great pride in, was a mess. Cissy also noticed she barely touched her food during dinner.

"Bella, what's wrong?" she asked her. "You look terrible. You haven't started your … lessons again, have you?" But she actually already knew the answer to that question. She had seen Lord Voldemort around and that had been the only occasion on which Bella's eyes had regained some of their vividness.

Slowly, Bella closed her eyes. "How's Andy?" she whispered.

Cissy could just hit herself. Assuming Bella had had something to do with the arranged marriage, she hadn't even bothered to tell her how Andy was doing. But of course Bella must be worried too.

"She doing fine. At least, I suppose. I haven't seen her since she disappeared but she has written one or two times. I haven't got a clue as to where she could be, but she writes that she's happy."

Bella sighed. "Thank goodness for that. It means it's not for nothing," she murmured.

"What do you mean?" Cissy asked. "What is not for nothing?"

Bella didn't reply.

"Fine, don't tell me then," Cissy said. "Apparently I'm just the little sister everybody thinks doesn't need to be told things." She got up, angry.

"Cissy," Bella pleaded. "I really can't tell you what's going on, I'm sorry."

"I said I'm fine. Don't bother. After all, why should you tell [i]me[/i] anything?" She was crying now and angrily wiped her tears away before leaving the room.

Bella called after her, but Cissy didn't turn. [i]Sort it out for yourself then,[/i] she thought.

The only good thing about staying at the Lestrange Estate, was that the Malfoy family was amongst the frequent visitors of the Estate, which meant Cissy got to spend time with Lucius. Somehow it seemed easier talking to him at the Estate than it was at Hogwarts.

"It appears you're not very happy. I seem to run into you being sad a lot lately," he had said when she had run into him after the conversation with Bella. She had blushed and had wanted to turn. He grabbed her arm. "Wait," he said. "That sounded wrong, I didn't mean it like that. Is everything okay?"

She shook her head. "It's just … sisters, you know." She tried to shrug it off.

"Actually I don't, being an only child and all, but still… anything I can do to cheer you up?"

She shrugged.

"Ah, you're not getting away that easily," he said, waving a finger quasi-sternly.

She had to smile, she couldn't help herself. "You're an idiot, you know that?" she said.

"Perhaps," he replied. "But I know just what you need. Come, let's take a walk." He invitingly held out his hand to her and she took it, a little hesitating. She stood up and for a moment their eyes locked. She withdrew her hand and looked away, embarrassed. [i]He was only being kind, right?[/i]

"I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to embarrass you."

[i]I am [/i]such[i] an idiot,[/i] she thought. "It's nothing," she said.

There was an awkward silence, then he cleared his throat and said: "Alright, let's get going then."

She nodded. "Where are we heading?"

"I had no particular goal in mind, so just pick a direction."

She looked around. The Estate was quite vast, so whichever direction she chose, they would still be walking on its grounds for quite some time. She randomly pointed her hand in the direction of some far away forest.

"Northwards it is then," he smiled.

They walked together silently for almost a mile. At first, it was a rather awkward silence, but it transformed to a more comforting one as they continued walking. Cissy indeed started to feel better from the walk and said so.

"I kind of figured already it would do you good."

She smiled at him. "Thank you," she said. "It's nice just to be out for a change. The atmosphere in there is just killing me."

He nodded apprehensively. "Don't know what's going on but I sensed something too."

They had entered the forest by now and giant trees blocked away the sunlight. Cissy needed to adjust her eyes to the sudden darkened surroundings. Below the rooftops, the forest was full of live. Birds where whistling and they spotted several small mammals. They continued to walk deeper into the forest, not talking anymore now, as not to disrupt any creatures.

"Look," Cissy whispered quietly and touched Lucius' arm. He stopped and she pointed to a spot between the green. He scanned the spot and then he saw it to. Not far from them a glimpse of gold was visible. It was a unicorn foal. Cissy withheld her breath, it was beautiful. Then a full-grown unicorn appeared and stood by her foal, carelessly swishing her tail. They leaned in a little closer. Unfortunately, a little loot snapped as they did this. The unicorn looked up, sniffed the air and then quickly whisked her foal away. Within a couple of seconds, both were gone.

Cissy's face was glowing. "Bella never told me there were unicorns on the Estate," she said excited.

"Perhaps she doesn't know?" Lucius brought up. "But they're gorgeous, aren't they?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "I've never before seen them in real life. I mean, we've treated them during Care of Magical Creatures last year but the descriptions in the book don't do them justice."

"Just the simple fact that we can see unicorn places us above Muggles," he added.

"My wand core's a unicorn hair," they said simultaneously. They looked at each other. "Yours too?" they asked at the same time. They started to laugh. It wasn't that unicorn hair was a rare core, it was just a combination of the moment, the surroundings and the fact that they had spoken simultaneously. It was a bright, unconcerned kind of laughter.

"Come, let's get back," Lucius said and took her by the hand. "It must be getting late already."

Cissy felt blood rush to her cheeks at his touch. Lucius didn't notice or at pretended not to notice, she didn't know which one it was. As he led the way, she didn't contemplate drawing his attention to the fact that he was still holding her hand. It wasn't until they had almost left the forest, that he became aware of this little detail. He stopped all of a sudden and she nearly bumped into him. This time, it was he who blushed.

"Oh Merlin, you must think I'm an arse," he groaned and quickly let go of her hand. "I'm sorry Cissy."

"Like I told you before, I don't mind," she said softly and took his hand again. "Really." She took a step closer towards him and smiled. They looked at each other. Slowly, their heads moved together until their lips met. It was only a brief kiss but Cissy was glowing. To find out, after all these months of having a secret crush, that Lucius liked her too, was beyond what she expected. She gave him a coy smile.

They slowly walked back towards the Lestrange Estate, hands interlocked. They didn't speak much, but then again, there was no real need to.

That was how Bella saw them approaching, holding hands and walking close together. Seeing Cissy with Lucius reminded her too sharply of how unlike her own situation it was, so she turned away from the window. "Well, at least one of us has found love in her live," she murmured wryly. She hoped for Cissy's sake it would last. She didn't particularly like Lucius, she thought he was too spoiled and a bit arrogant, but at least he was a pureblood and his father was one of the Knights who had taken the mark.

Andy had never been more comfortable than she was now. Douglas and Kathrin, Ted's parents, treated her more like a daughter than her own parents ever had and his little brother Dave, who had not magical talent, was really cute. There were days when she imagined living with them permanently and those thoughts cheered her up and depressed her at the same time. It was depressing because however much she would enjoy it, it would mean that she had to cut off all family ties definitely. Her parents and Bella would never ever accept her living with a Muggle family and would most likely burn her from the family tapestry at uncle Orion's house. Not that she cared much about the tapestry though, but it was just weird to leave seventeen years of her life behind her.

And there was Cissy. She wasn't at all sure how Cissy would take it. After Bella had left their parental house, she and Cissy had grown closer. However, Cissy could also be really skeptical about Muggles. She feared that perhaps her little sister would choose their parent's side in this, which was the reason she couldn't tell her about her whereabouts. She had written to Amelia off course, since Amelia was also a good friend of Ted, but had made her promise not to tell anything to Cissy.

She hadn't told Douglas and Kathrin, nor Ted, about her parent's attitude towards Muggles, because she didn't want to hurt their feelings. Perhaps Ted would guess, having undergone Bella's jinx in fourth year. She had just told them about the marriage her parents had arranged for her. They had been shocked and had called it medieval, which had made her smile wryly. Nonetheless, they kept insisting she needed to keep her sister close, so in the end they made a compromise; she would tell Cissy when Hogwarts had started again, so that she had a choice to either tell their parents or not, to give her a chance to make up her own mind about thinks.

Meanwhile, she wondered how on earth she was going to study to become a Healer if she didn't want to be found by her parents. That would be incredibly difficult and she found herself asking whether she should even try.

"Are you mad?" Ted had objected. "You've wanted to become a Healer since like forever."

"I know," she sighed. "But I don't see how. I mean, perhaps I'm just lucky they haven't found me yet, but I'm afraid that if they would, they would force me to marry that Rabastan-git after all. I haven't fled to just walk in two months later practically stating: 'here I am, come get me'."

Ted laughed. "You're ever so melodramatic."

She bumped him on the shoulder. "I'm serious. They know how much I longed to be a Healer, so it would probably be the first place they'll start looking. Maybe that's why they haven't really tried to find me so far, because they knew I would show up at St Mungo's after the holidays, so why bother searching?"

This time, it was Ted's time to sigh. Of course there was some truth to Andy's words, but he would really hate to see her dreams destroyed because of her parents. "We'll figure something out, okay?" he finally said and kissed her. "Just promise me not to give up on your dreams yet."

She looked at him. "I'll try," she said with a weary smile.

"Na-ah," he shook his head. "You have to promise."

"Okay, I promise I won't give up on my dreams yet," Andy repeated dutiful.

He grinned at her. "See? We'll fix it Andy, we'll fix it. And then you will be the best Healer St Mungo's has ever had!"

She smiled back, only this time her smile was genuine.

"Thanks Ted. But don't forget your own dreams either."

"I solemnly swear not to forget them," he said theatrical.

"Moron," she said and pushed him. He pushed her back, she tickled him and soon they were lying side by side, their stomachs aching with laughter.

Ted suddenly got serious again. "Hey Andy, I've been thinking," he said and lifted himself to an elbow. She looked up at him, smiling. "Yes?"

"What if we got married? I mean, they can't force you to marry someone when you're already married, even they have to accept the laws of the Wizengamot and then you could follow your dreams and we'd be together and you wouldn't have to worry about your parents anymore and…"

"Wow Ted, take a breath," Andy said shocked. "I love you, but I'm not gonna marry you just so I can study! That's ridiculous."

"How about you marry me because you love me?"

"Ted Tonks, if this is a proposal, you're doing it all wrong."

"Very well then," he said and took her hand. "Dear Andy, will you marry me?"

"Ted…." she laughed nervously. "You're freaking me out."

"I'm serious Andy," he said and she knew by the sound of his voice that he was. She looked him in the eye and saw the love he held for her, the love she felt for him as well. It wasn't exactly how she had hoped this would happen, but if she was honest to herself, she had never stopped loving him since fourth year.

"Yes Ted, I will," she said finally.

"Really?"

"Really."

His eyes were glowing and he hugged her tight. "We'll do super together Andy, I just know it."

Their marriage was simple, nothing like the wedding of Bella and Rodolphus had been. Douglas and Kathrin had not been to keen on the idea of them getting married so quickly and without Andy's family knowing about it.

"We just want a simple ceremony," Ted had said. "You, Dave and perhaps some good friends from Hogwarts. We can inform her family afterwards."

"No, we will not consent without you two at least informing Andy's parents and sisters about your plans. You can't just do this! It would destroy every spark of perhaps becoming closer again to them."

Andy didn't dare to tell them that her marrying a Muggle would surely destroy whatever chance she had left to reconnect with her parents, but in the end she gave in.

"I will send them an invitation," she grudgingly said.

But as she had expected, none of them showed up. Bella and her parents hadn't even replied, only Cissy had written a short note saying that she was shocked to have heard so little from Andy over the past two months and then suddenly finding an invitation to her wedding. Needless to say she wouldn't be attending, nor would she stay in touch as long as Andy was with her 'Muggle'. However, she had scribbled a p.s. that gave Andy hope that maybe someday, Cissy would change her mind: [i]I really hope you're happy and you don't live to regret it,[/i] it said.

So in the end, it was just Douglas, Kathrin, Dave, Amelia and her parents and Ted's best friend Jaime, who were present. Ted was in a suit he had borrowed from Douglas and Andy wore a dress in the colour of autumn, borrowed by one of Ted's aunts. Amelia's parents had hugged her tight when they saw her. "It shouldn't have been this way, Andy," Amelia's mum had whispered. "But if they can't see what a wonderful daughter they have, then that's there loss. Just know the two of you are welcome at our home any time."

Tears welled up in Andy's eyes. "Thank you," she said and returned the hug.

Bella put down the invitation, her face pale. Across the room, Cissy was doing the same. They looked at each other, shocked. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then Bella yelled out in rage. "How dare she! How dare she do this to me! After all I've been through… she's going to marry a mudblood!" She tore the invitation to pieces, throwing them on the floor. Hatred filled her eyes and the sight of her frightened Cissy. She was angry too, though not as much as Bella. "Grab my arm, Cissy," Bella ordered.

"You're not going to do anything stupid, are you?"

"I'm not the one doing anything stupid here," Bella replied with a voice as sharp as a knife. "Now grab my arm!"

Cissy didn't dare object with her and grabbed her sister's arm. As she had expected, they began to toll around as soon as she did. When the moving had stopped, she looked around. They were in a gloomy place and with a shock Cissy recognized where they were. They were at 12 Grimmauld Place.

She tugged Bella's sleeve, but Bella ignored her and bounced on the door. "Open up!" she yelled.

It was aunt Walburga who opened. "Have you never learned to wait for a person to get to the door!" she began flustered.

"Let me in, aunt," Bella said darkly. The look in her eyes was maddening and aunt Walburga stepped aside. Bella walked in and went straight to the room where the tapestry hung. Cissy followed her steps, knowing what would follow. She had feared this would happen, but still…

Bella threw open the door, draw her wand and pointed it at Andy's face on the family tree. "Aduro!" she screamed. A flame left her wand and covered Andy's face. Soon, nothing was left of it than a tiny black hole. Bella looked at it, panting. She had thought burning Andy of the tapestry would make her feel better, but she felt absolutely nothing.

Her face hardened. "Go home Cissy. Go home and never think of Andy again," she murmured before she Disapparated.


	13. A matter of money

13. A MATTER OF MONEY

Four years had passed since Andy's marriage to Ted. They had a little girl, which Andy had insisted on calling Nymphadora. Although Ted hated the name, he had consented with Andy's wishes. The girl was three years old now and she could change her appearance at will. She was born a Tranformagus, a witch or wizard with the ability to transform their entire appearance if they so desired. She was a lively toddler, crawling around exploring and they had quite a lot of work to keep up with her. Andy had finished her traineeship at St Mungo's and was now working as a Healer. The three of them were living in a tiny house close to Ted's parents since that was all they could afford. Douglas and Kathrin looked after Nymphadora often, cuddling and spoiling her like grandparents always tend to do. Andy was as happy as could be, even though there were still days on which she missed her sisters.

Andy often wondered how Cissy would be doing. She knew Bella had taken on a high position as right hand to Lord Voldemort, whose power was expanding monthly now. This was something that worried her. Lord Voldemort and his followers profiled themselves as pure-blood supremacists, eager to eliminate all Muggle influences in the wizarding world. She had heard rumours that Bella was a known user of the unforgivable 'cruciatus'-curse and that a lot of terrible things seemed to happen to people whenever she was around. She shivered at the thought that her older sister had become somewhat of a monster and asked herself not for the first time how on earth Bella, who may have always had something of a temper, but who had been kind and light-hearted, had gotten involved in this.

Cissy would have finished Hogwarts two years ago and she wondered what career she had chosen, if any. After all, their parents had arranged marriages for both Bella and herself, straight out of Hogwarts, so it was probable that the same fate had been bestowed on Cissy as well. She could only hope Cissy actually cared for the husband their parents had picked for her. She had no evidence that Cissy had joined Lord Voldemorts army of Death Eaters, as his followers called themselves nowadays, but she feared that she might have, under the pressure of Bella.

Cissy often smirked at the irony of life. Bella and Andy had both been married off straight from Hogwarts, when they had had neither intention nor inclination to do so. Bella had accepted their parents' arrangements and Andy had chosen her own path. But when Cissy left Hogwarts and actually [i]wanted[/i] to get married, there was no money left. Figure, her parents, the influential Blacks, tight with money! As it was tradition that the parents of the groom bought a house for a couple and the parents of the bride paid for the entire wedding, the Manor Lucius' parents had bought them stood empty for almost two years now. It was maddening, really. Lucius parents could easy have afforded paying for both the Manor [i]and[/i] the wedding but they didn't want to embarrass the Blacks.

She had once asked her father how it was possible that there wasn't even enough money left for her wedding, but he had only grunted and murmured something about debts that had to be paid. From her mother she had learnt that they had had to pay a large amount of money to Rabastan because of the cancelled wedding with Andy. Cissy was mad with Andy. Not only had she ripped their family apart and embarrassed them, her actions were also the cause of Cissy not being able to marry when she wanted to. Instead of going down the aisle, she and Lucius had to get saving. Luckily, Lucius worked at the ministry and apparently he did a good job but it would take some time before they would have enough money to pay for the wedding.

"Cissy, why aren't you married?" Bella asked one day. "I mean, out of all of us, you're the only one to actually be dating someone they approve of and yet you're also the only one not married straight out of Hogwarts. What kept Father and Mother? I've asked them but they wouldn't answer."

"Money," Cissy said wryly.

Bella looked at her. "That's ridiculous! They have a gigantic vault at Gringotts!"

"It's empty."

"That's just not possible." She started to laugh. "Do you have any idea how much money is in there?"

"Zero to nothing."

"Cissy, cut it, it's not funny," Bella said annoyed.

"I'm serious!" Cissy replied. "When Andy backed out of the wedding, they had to pay large sums of money to Rabastan. He said that because of you being a relative and everything, he wouldn't pursue the blood debt but instead be contented with money. I mean, I'm more than glad I didn't have to marry the bloke, but…"

"He what?" Bella interrupted. She looked as pale as a ghost. "The bastard," she murmured.

"What do you mean, Bella? You rather had had me as a sister-in-law as well?" She spoke slowly and Bella could see she was holding herself back.

"Never mind," she replied angrily, though Cissy had no idea why she would be angry with her. "Go tell Lucius you'll be married before Christmas if I have anything to say in it."

"But…"

"No objections, family of the bride pays, right? Not necessarily the parents. If only you had told me earlier. Just leave it to me," she said. "Now go, I have things to do."

Cissy left her, puzzled at the sudden mood change. When Bella was in one of her tempers again, there was no use objecting. She loved her sister but sometimes she found her scary as well, the way she could go from pleasant to absolutely horrid in just a second; the way she seemed to enjoy inflicting pain on others; the gauntly look of arrogance on her face.

She didn't – yet – tell Lucius about what Bella had said but she kept the thought in a little drawer in het memory. [i]Imagine they [/i]would[i] be getting married come Christmas! That would just be wonderful.[/i]

Bella kept her word in sorting things out for Cissy. She was furious and her blood was boiling. "The scumback," she spoke to herself. "Can you even believe that? That after all he has done to me, he still has the audacity to claim money from Father and Mother?"

She had never liked the idea of him staying at the Estate every time but for once she was actually glad he did. It meant she wouldn't have to go over to his house but could just confront him immediately. She stalked to his quarters, already looking forward to make him pay for everything he had done. She smiled a vicious smile. [i]Oh yes, Rabastan would suffer. And she would enjoy being the cause of it.[/i]

Rodolphus wasn't too happy with him staying at the Estate either, both since both he and Rabastan were Death Eaters – a name Lord Voldemort felt was more appropriate than Walpurgis Knights – they had to live with it.

Bella threw open the door without bothering to knock. Rabastan jumped to his feet.

"What are you doing here? Can't you knock?"

"This is still my house. I can come and go as I please, wherever I please to go. Don't you try to prescribe any rules to me in my own house Rabastan," she said menacingly.

"I could have been changing!"

"In the middle of the day?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, maybe not a good example. What is it you want?"

"What I want," she said slowly, "is for you to return the money you took from my parents."

"What money?" he replied.

"Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about. The money you claimed from my parents when Andy…" saying her name out loud proved difficult. "When Andy ran away. You thought I wouldn't find out, didn't you? Well, here's a surprise: I did. And you're going to reimburse every last Knut of it to me."

She carelessly drew her wand and much to her delight, she noticed that he flinched at the sight of it.

"I see you remember what happened last time you encountered this wand." She smiled. "You know, I've had a lot of practice since then. Care to find out just how experienced I've become at torture spells?" She cocked her head to the left, looking at him quasi innocently. "It'll only hurt a little. If you're lucky." She chuckled as he backed away.

"What's the matter Rabastan? Lost your speech? Maybe I just need to loosen your tongue a bit… Cruc…"

"No wait," he said hastily.

"Why? You can't even stand a simple crucio?" As she said the last word, she flicked her wand and he screamed in pain. "My my, aren't we a baby. I actually begin doubting why the Dark Lord even wants you as one of his followers. Or maybe, it just so me and the others can have something for target practice."

She had been holding the spell the whole time and he continued to scream. She let him catch his breath again. "You're insane," he muttered.

"Perhaps I am. So, what about a little trip to Gringotts, ey?"

"What? You can't seriously mean now?"

"Why not? It'll be fun to see your vault emptied and its contents put into mine."

He shot her a fowl look. "Fine," he managed at last.

"Great!" she clapped her hands. "Let's get going then."

She grasped him by his robe and Disapparated. With a minor 'plop' they Apparated in front of the Leaky Cauldron. Rabastan coughed.

She made him walk over to Gringotts and they entered the giant bank. Goblins were looking at them. She snorted. "Get back to work," she hissed.

When they arrived at the counter, Rabastan hesitated a little, so she gave him a mild poke with her wand.

"I would like to make a withdrawal," he said at last.

"And I'm here for a deposit. I just ran in to my brother-in-law. Coincidental, don't you think?" Bella grinned.

The goblin looked at them suspiciously but said nothing when Rabastan produced the key to his vault. She also showed her key and the goblin nodded. "Follow me."

"After you," she grinned at Rabastan. He grumbled, but she wanted him to stay in front of her, so she could monitor his every move. They both got in the little chariot, along with the goblin. They went deep within the earth. The deeper they went, the darker it got. Bella was aware of the situation and watched Rabastan extra carefully. He had however, settled into his role, or so it seemed, which made things easier for her. The chariot was still going deeper into Gringotts until finally it stopped.

"Vault number one hundred and six," the goblin announced.

Rabastan got out, as did Bella. She was curious about what would be in Rabastan's kluis. The goblin opened it with the key Rabastan had given him. Bella took a sneak peek. The vault was loaded with gold, jewellery and valuable tapestries and carpets.

"Half," she said.

Rabastan pulled a face and narrowed his eyes. He did, however, not object. Instead, he turned to the goblin besides him and said: "Could you transfer half of this to [i]her[/i] vault?" He inclined his head towards Bella and this time it was she who was narrowing her eyes now. [i]He must know that he won't be getting away with that…[/i] she thought.

The goblin frowned but blew a whistle and after a couple of minutes, three other goblins appeared. He gave them some orders and they began carrying gold and exclusivities out of the vault.

"Madame, what is the number of your vault?"

"One hundred and thirty-nine."

The goblin spoke again to the employees of Gringotts and they nodded. "The contents of this vault will have to be transferred partially to vault one hundred and thirty-nine," he told them and they started loading the valuables into the chariots.

When things had been arranged, they left Gringotts. They had to blink against the sudden bright light outside. Bella didn't give Rabastan time to get adjusted. Instead, she took his robe again and Disapparated back to the Estate.

"You've got some nerve," she said the moment they had returned. "You should know by now that I don't like being made a fool off."

She turned, pretending to walk out of the room and heard him sigh of relief. That was the moment she turned back and fired a 'depondera' at him, which blew him off his feet. "You didn't think you'd get away that easily, did you?" she snorted. "I see you still have a lot to learn, Rabastan." She fired a non-verbal 'neurintio' at him followed by a 'crucio' and chuckled as he screeched. "You know, I could make things worse for you, but right now, I have better things to do. You'd best be on your watch though from now on."

Her words had a menacing undertone and she waited for them to sink in on him. When she saw that he was fully aware of the implications, she left the room. She was content. Not only did she now have enough money to provide for Cissy's wedding, she had also shown Rabastan that she was above him, that if he were to displease her, she would strike back.

Cissy didn't know where Bella had gotten the money from but she was ever so happy that she and Lucius finally could get married. Lucius had some house elves clean their Manor and the wedding was scheduled on the 22th of December. She would have liked Bella's butterfly-carrying-dress, but since it would be to cold for butterflies and emerald green didn't really suit her, she opted for a cobalt blue dress instead. She wore Druella's tiara, just like Bella had done. Lucius looked really smart in his suit and on seeing him, she fell even more in love with him. He smiled at her as she walked down the aisle, flanked by Bella and Aurore. She felt a pang when she realised that had things gone differently, Andy would have been by her side instead of Aurore, but she pushed away the thought. Andy had made her choice and she shouldn't think about her at a day like this. This was meant to be [i]her[/i] day, not Andy's, and she would enjoy every last minute of it.

She took Lucius' hand with a smile and the wedding minister performed the ritual she had also seen on Bella's wedding. Being a part of it instead of just watching was a lot different though.

There were a lot of people. Like had been the case with Bella and Rodolphus, both Cissy and Lucius came from wizarding families that took a high position in society, so every pureblood family had been invited. Cissy did not know everyone but she liked social gatherings and saw it as an opportunity to maintain a close connection to those families. She had however not been prepared for the presence of Amelia Bones. They both seemed lost for words when they saw each other.

"Lucius told me you work at the Ministry," Cissy said. It was a much safer subject than the one neither of them dared talk about, for different reasons.

"It's really a most interesting place to work," Amelia said and they were both silent. When the silence became awkward, Amelia complemented Cissy on her dress. "Where are you going to live?" she asked next.

"Lucius' parents bought us a Manor two years ago, near Wiltshire," Cissy replied and her face darkened a bit. "We will move in there right after our marriage."

They continued with a little small talk, just like Cissy had had with other guests. When they kissed goodbye, Cissy impulsively whispered in Amelia's ear: "Is she okay?" Amelia didn't need to ask whom she was talking about; they had been avoiding the subject carefully for the last minutes. "She has moments that she misses you, but on the whole she's quite happy. They have a little girl, she turns four in April," she whispered back.

"Thank you so much for coming," Cissy said out loud. She smiled at Amelia and Amelia smiled back, understanding that Cissy didn't want Bella to know she hadn't completely banned Andy from her thoughts.

"I wish you all the best in the years to come," Amelia replied just as formally.

Cissy continued talking to the other guests after she left. She hadn't known why she had asked Amelia, but was glad to hear Andy was doing fine. She masked any mention of Andy to Bella of course.

She and Lucius moved into the Manor straight after the wedding. It looked different from what Cissy remembered it to be, perhaps because they hadn't been there in quite a while. The house elves had done their jobs well; the Manor was spotlessly clean. It didn't feel like a home yet though, because it lacked a personal touch. She needed to start decorating first thing in the morning, she decided. But for now, other things were more important. She turned around, smiled coyly to Lucius and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you," she whispered and kissed him passionately.

"I've been to Cissy's wedding last week," Amelia told Andy a week later. They were having tea and Andy dropped her cup to the floor, where it smashed into pieces.

"What?" she said aghast. "You never told me you got an invitation!"

"I'm sorry I haven't told you before. I was afraid it might upset you."

"Pff, why would it? It's not like I care about what my sisters do," she said unaffectedly, but the slight tremble in her voice told Amelia that this wasn't really the truth. "Who's she married to anyway?"

"Lucius Malfoy."

"Of course! My perfect little sister, my parents' favorite, there's no way she would have married anything less than an even so perfect wealthy Slytherin pure-blood," Andy sneered.

"That's not fair Andy. They seemed to be really in love with each other. And didn't you say she already had a crush on him when she was still in fourth year?"

"She did," Andy admitted reluctantly. "But that doesn't change a thing."

"Doesn't it? Not even if she married out of love, just like you have?"

Andy remained silent. It did change [i]some[/i] things somehow, even though she wasn't exactly sure why that was.

"I thought she would have gotten married ages ago. Apparently the 'get-your-daughter-married-as-soon-as-she-finishes-Hogwarts-approach' didn't apply to Cissy," she reproachfully said.

"Don't blame Cissy for what your parents did, Andy," Amelia said softly, "I believe she feels as bad about it as you do."

"Yeah? Well, she hasn't written me nor contacted me in any other way, so she's just as uncaring as the rest of them!"

"I don't believe that's true."

"What do you know about it?" Andy got into a rage and Amelia cut in.

"She asked how you were doing," she stated.

"She's just like them, she cares only about herself, she… wait, what did you say?" Andy interrupted herself, frowning.

"She asked how you were doing," Amelia repeated.

"Did she now?"

"She cares about you Andy. She may not show it overtly, but she cares. I could see it in her eyes and hear it in her voice as well.

"Humph," Andy snorted. Her face had softened a bit though. After a moment of silence, she carefully asked: "How is she doing?"

"Well, she looked happy from what I could tell, but hey, it was her wedding day, so why shouldn't she? She looked healthy, something I can't say about Bella."

"What about her?"

"I don't know, she just looked… gauntly, ghostlike. Nothing like the Bella I knew when she was still at Hogwarts."

"Yeah but what did we actually know her?"

"I just think life hasn't been easy on her, that's all."

"Oh I think she has just spend too much time with this Lord Voldemort," Andy replied malignantly. "Her life can't have been that hard, not compared to the mess [i]I[/i] got put up with."

Amelia didn't reply. Andy's feelings towards Bella wouldn't change and she had every right to be angry with her older sister. She just had a sense that things may not be as black and white as Andy painted them


	14. Downfall of the Dark Lord

14. DOWNFALL OF THE DARK LORD

Things were getting grimmer and grimmer. Lord Voldemort and his troop of Death Eaters were causing mayhem and panic, not only in the Muggle world any more. They had expanded their activities to the wizarding world and everywhere people were threatened. The situation had a different effect on the three sisters.

Bella, who let herself be called Bellatrix again nowadays, revelled at the opportunities to prove herself a worthy lieutenant to Lord Voldemort. She had perfected torturing to a level it was almost an art form had it not been so vicious.

Cissy, or Narcissa nowadays, was sometimes horrified by Bella's actions. Lucius had become a Death Eater too, so she knew he probably wasn't the nicest person in the world either to those who stood in their way, but at least he wasn't as cruel as Bella. That was what she told herself anyway.

For Andy, things were even worse. She had married a Muggle and had a daughter who was therefore a half-blood. They called her a blood traitor. She heard all the horrible stories and at a certain point she snapped. Amelia had told her Dumbledore had created a group of people who stood up to Lord Voldemort and she had instantly volunteered, as had Ted. They had after all a daughter to protect and if they didn't protect her, then who would?

So Bella and Andy stood on opposite sides of the battle, with Cissy somewhat in the middle. It was like their sisterly conflict had become a problem of a worldwide scale.

Cissy spent her time either in Malfoy Manor or at the Lestrange Estate. With Lucius often away on duties, the Manor was a cold place most of the time. It was big and impressing and even with the decorating she had done, she felt alone. There were no children to look after or to fret about. She had had three miscarriages and those had broken her. She desperately wanted a child but every time she got pregnant, they lost it somewhere along the way. She knew Lucius had already given up, and lately she had begun wondering if she didn't do the same and just accept the fact they might never have children. She had a hard time coping with it. Amelia's words at the wedding resonated in her mind: [i]She has a little girl, she'll turn four in April.[/i] Not for the first time, she was jealous of Andy.

In the last couple of weeks, she had experienced the changes in her body that indicated that she once again was pregnant. She hadn't told Lucius yet and she didn't dare hope, too scared that like the other times, this child would never make it to the world. However, it appeared that fate had finally decided to be merciful, for the agonizing pain she had come to recognize during her other pregnancies, never came. Secretly, she started dreaming that maybe this time around, the child would actually make it. Lucius noticed she seemed a little absent lately and asked her what was wrong. She took his hand, smiling. "I think maybe this time will be different," she whispered, her eyes gleaming.

"You mean…" Lucius said.

She nodded. "Over three months now Lucius. That's a good sign, isn't it? The other times I didn't even make it past two months…"

"A good sign?" Lucius echoed. "It's incredible!" He took her in his arms and drew her close to him. "I just can't believe it," he said.

"I know, me neither. We might actually have the child we've wanted for so long now. I'm so happy!"

Lucius smiled back at her. "This is one of the best days of my life," he murmured.

Half a year later, the baby was born. It was a beautiful boy, screaming his lungs off when entering the world. Cissy had had a very hard and difficult labour, but to hear her baby cry, her and Lucius' baby, made her forget about that pretty quickly. The mediwitch at St Mungo's placed the boy in her arms and Lucius came in. She smiled at him, exhausted but thrilled. "Here's your son," she said and looked down in amazement at the little wonder in her arms. Lucius smiled too. "He's gorgeous. I guess he takes after his mum." He kissed her. "Have you thought about a name yet?" he asked.

"I want to continue the tradition of Blacks and name our child after a star or constellation if you're okay with that," she replied. "But it has to be a strong name, don't you agree?" He nodded.

"How about Draco?" she asked after a moment of thought.

"I like that as a name," he said. He bent forward to the bundle in Cissy's arms. "Welcome to the world, Draco Malfoy," he whispered.

Andy was pacing up and down the house, driving Ted crazy. "Would you sit down alright?" he said.

"I can't Ted, they should have been here ages ago. Oh god, I hope nothing has happened to them."

"They'll be fine Andy." Ted tried to be reassuring, but he felt the same anguish Andy felt. 'They' were his parents and their daughter Nymphadora, who was now eight years old. The three of them had been to the London Zoo and they were supposed to be back before dinner but it was already getting dark and they still hadn't returned to the house. At last, the doorbell rang and Andy rushed to the door. "Finally, there you are!" she exclaimed. "We've been so worried!"

But it weren't Douglas and Kathrin who stood at the door. It was a policeman. Andy turned grey. She had lived long enough amongst Muggles to know that that really was the last thing you wanted to see when relatives were late. It usually meant they had had an accident and were either dead or mortally wounded.

"Are you madame Tonks?" the policeman asked. She didn't trust her voice, so she just nodded instead. "Then I believe this little lady is your daughter?" He stepped aside and she now saw another policeman, carrying a bundle of clothes and blankets in his arms.

"Dora! What has happened to her? Is she okay?" her heart pounded in her chest. [i]She has to be, she has to be,[/i] she kept repeating to herself.

"She's alright. One of the animal keepers at the London Zoo found her. She was standing with the chameleons. They must have missed her earlier on, for they said she just seemed to be blending in.

Andy nodded. That was Dora allright, always keen on an occasion to demonstrate her talent, and what better way to show off than to a chameleon, to prove you're even better at blending in as he does?

"What about her… what about my parents-in-law?"

A cloud passed over the policeman's face and she knew what he was about to say before he said it. "I'm sorry ma'am but it appears they are… no longer with us. We're still investigating how this could have happened since no one saw nor heard anything."

[i]Because they are killed by magic![/i] she wanted to shout. [i]Because some freak wants to take over the world by killing Muggles and blood traitors![/i] She bit her tongue. She couldn't say that without having to explain a [i]lot[/i] of things and that was against the covenant. But Douglas and Kathrin… She started screaming. Ted came rushing towards her, a worried look on his face.

"What has happened?" he asked.

The policeman told him what he had told Andy's just seconds ago and Ted had to hold on to the door to remain standing. He too had gone grey.

"No, I just can't believe it," he said in a hoarse voice. "It just can't be true. Not my parents."

"I'm really sorry sir. I sympathise with your loss. It's just lucky your daughter is safe." Only now was he paying attention to the little bundle the other policeman was carrying. It moved and he spotted a tuff of hair in an indescribable colour. Dora. He walked over to her. She stirred and he took her from the policeman's arms. Tears were streaming down his face, but he didn't care.

"We have to be off," the first policeman apologised. "Will you two be alright sir? Is there anyone who can stay with you tonight? Should we send someone over?"

Ted shook his head without realising it. No one would understand how they felt at this very moment. He carried Dora inside, past Andy, who had stopped screaming but who was crying too now. "Come Andy," he said broken. "It doesn't become undone if we just keep standing here. Come inside. Dora needs you right now. I need you right now. We need each other, to get through this."

Like on autopilot, Andy followed him into their house. They let Nymphadora sleep and fell in each other's arms. They both wept with sorrow at the loss of Douglas and Kathrin.

Bella was delighted that things were going this well with the rise of Lord Voldemort. With a little help from Lucius, they had managed to penetrate even the Ministry, which meant they could get valuable information on, for example, places where mudbloods and blood-traitors could be found. Rumours had been going around about this counter-army Dumbledore had initiated, but Bella had just laughed at the idea. It was just ridiculous that the people bought it. They should know it served no cause, did it? In the end, Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters would prevail and they too would beg for their sorry little lives. And their message of love being the strongest power? She had laughed at that idea. Really, they didn't get it. Love was so very much overrated.

Since the beginning of the war, more people had joined the ranks of the Death Eaters, some of them out of fear, others out of admiration. Her cousin Regulus had been one of the new recruits from an early age and she was proud that at least one member of the House of Black had fought for their cause. She regretted the death of Regulus at the age of eighteen, she was sure he would have had a great prospect if he hadn't died, for he had been almost as dedicated as she was. Her other cousin Sirius, on the other hand, had followed Andy's example and had left the house at the age of sixteen.

He probably was in the Order of the Phoenix, for that was the name Dumbledore had given his organisation. They had confronted the Order on several occasions already, thinning out their ranks, but not quite managing to annihilate them. It was such a shame to see a talented young wizard like Sirius choosing the wrong side. Well, she couldn't be bothered. If he wanted to go and get himself killed, that was his choice. She would be ever so pleased to do the honours should she meet with him.

One day, Severus Snape, one of the newer members of the Death Eaters, frantically entered the room they were in, interrupting their conversation. Everybody fell silent and turned his head towards him.

"You'd better have a good reason interrupting my business," the Dark Lord said coldly.

"My Lord, I've overheard a prophecy," he panted. "It was about you."

Lord Voldemort raised an eyebrow. "Pray tell," he said and Bella chuckled. [i]Like he gives a damn about prophecies. Divination is like the most idiotic subject ever.[/i] She sat by Lord Voldemort's side, as usual.

"The prophecy spoke of you, and of a boy, born at the end of July to two members of the Order of the Phoenix, who have defied you twice. The boy will destroy you when he grows up."

For a moment, it was completely silent. Then Lord Voldemort said without emotion: "Thank you for this information Severus. I've never cared much for Divination but it's best to be cautious. No child can harm me if I kill it now. I'll find out whose child is born at the end of July."

Severus was still standing there and Lord Voldemort shooed him away. "What are you still standing here Severus? We've heard your message and now you can go."

"Yes my Lord, of course." Like a beaten up puppy, Severus left the room.

"What do you think Bella? Worth our time to find out about this kid?" There was a glint in his eyes she had not seen before but she didn't think any further of it.

"If you think it is, then it is," she replied. "I would be delighted to be of assistance, should that be as you desire."

"I'll keep that in mind Bella. I'll keep that in mind."

In the weeks to come, they learned that there were actually two children matching the profile. One was the son of Lily and James Potter, the other one the son of Frank and Alice Longbottom. Both couples were fervent members of the Order of the Phoenix.

"Thanks to their Secret-Keeper Wormtail here," Lord Voldemort pointed at the shivering man with the face of a rat and mousy brown hair that stood beside him, "we know where the Potters live, so I'll go to the Potters first before they find out that the Fidelius Charm has been broken. And after all, their boy is only half-blood, his mother being a filthy mudblood. It shouldn't be that hard to kill him." He turned to Bella. "You shall have full command while I'm away Bella."

"Thank you my Lord." she gleamed with pride at the trust he showed her. "I will not let you down."

"I have no doubts about that," he replied dryly. With that remark, he Disapparated from the spot. Bella knew he wouldn't be gone long, but still felt extremely powerful now that she was in charge.

"Nott, clear up your mess! This place is not a pig's stall!" she bellowed. "Gray, Dolochov, what's the status of the Project Pursuasion?"

"Working on it!" Dolochov replied grinding his teeth. She knew he, like most of the other inner circle Death Eaters envied her her position and were – not so – secretly wondering why a woman was placed at a higher rank than they were. She had overheard a conversation between Mulciber and some others and had silenced them by using every torture curse she knew on Mulciber, making them watch until he begged for mercy. However, since she was not only a very skilled Occlumens but a rather good Legilimens as well, she knew that these feelings and suspicions still hadn't gone away completely. She had decided a long time ago that as long as Lord Voldemort called her his 'most loyal lieutenant' she didn't care what the others said. Let them think she could favour him in ways they couldn't. All that mattered to her was his approval. She leaned back in her chair and caressed the skeleton and snake shaped mark on her forearm. She would fight alongside him, as she had always done. Soon, there would not be an obstacle left to thwart them and they would win the war, control the wizarding world and rid it of mudbloods. The thought elated her.

Sadly enough, things didn't exactly turn out like that. The man Wormtail came back alone, shivering even more than he had done before he left wit Lord Voldemort. "He's gone, he's gone!" he constantly screamed, obviously in a shock.

"Is the boy finished with?" Bella asked.

He shook his head like a maniac. "…Backfired…" was all he could manage.

"Speak up rat!" she ordered. "You're not making any sense. And why are you here without our Lord?"

He still couldn't form a normal sentence, so Bella choose a more efficient way of communication. Or non-communication, since no words were spoken. She used her Legilimency skills to read his mind. If wasn't difficult, his panicky thoughts were running around in his head and the eminent one was a message Bella did not want to hear.

"You're lying!" she screamed. Her voice was shrill with panic.

He shook his head and she spat at him. "You're lying. He'll make you pay for telling such lies. He can't be dead, it's the Dark Lord we're talking about for crying out loud!"

Her remark was met by a series of groans and other sounds of disbelief.

"They must have captured him somehow, however unbelievable that sounds."

"Do you really think the chances of Him being captured rather than killed are bigger?" Gray asked. "Shouldn't we hurry to get the hell out of here?"

"Never!" she yelled. Her eyes shot fire. "Is this what loyalty means to you? You run at the first mention of defeat? Ha, I'll make sure the Dark Lord hears about this!"

Gray looked down at his feet, as did a lot of the other Death Eaters. She loathed them at that moment. Someone coughed. "Actually…"

She interrupted the person who had wanted to say something. "We have to go and look for him. He'll reward our loyalty!" her voice was still shrill. "Crouch, Rodolphus, Rabastan, you're coming with me. We're going to pay a little visit to the Longbottoms, which is most likely where he is. Dolohov, Rookwood, Snape, I want you to question Dumbledore. Take this heap of crap with you." She pointed at the still quivering Wormtail. "Lucius, Karkarov, Gray, Avery, Rosier, Mulciber, you'll be in charge of trying to find out as much as you can from the other members of the Order. Each of you, take two or three man with you." She ignored the grumbles of the Death Eaters. He had left [i]her[/i] in charge, so it was up to her to make the decisions. "Now go!" she screamed furious. One by one they Disapparated, on their way to question the various members of the Order of the Phoenix, until only the three men she had ordered to accompany her were left.

"Let's be off," Barty said eagerly. Rodolphus and Rabastan looked like they had just bitten into a lemon, but she couldn't care whether they liked the way things were going or not. She just wanted to make sure they were within her eyesight, for she feared they might run. She told them the hiding place of Frank and Alice Longbottom and the four of them Disapparated. They Apparated in front of a row of similar looking houses in Wimbourne. The Longbottoms lived at number twenty-eight.

Bella stalked over there with big steps, making it hard for the others to keep up with her. She blast the door open. "Come out, come out, wherever you are!" she laughed hysterically. A woman was running for the door to get to the staircase but Bella made her smack into the ground with an effectively placed 'depondera'. "Tut tut tut," she said, waving her index finger from left to right. "Don't try to run away when you have guests, that's not very nice."

"I will not let you touch her!" the man screamed as he came running out of the living room as well.

She made him smack on the ground as well and then lifted him in the air with 'levicorpus'. "I don't think you have much to say in this matter," she chuckled. "Barty, bring her in the living room, I'll take care of this one." She hovered him back to the living room, not unintentionally bumping his head into the wall several times. He looked frightened and she laughed. "Not so sure of yourself now are you? But if you tell us where He is, we might let you get off with a mild warning."

"What do you mean? I don't know what you're talking about."

She squinted her eyes. "You're in the Order right? So where is the Dark Lord?"

"We haven't got the faintest idea!"

"I don't believe you." Bella let him drop to the floor and turned to the other Death Eaters. "I reckon some well-placed crucio's would loosen their tongues, don't you think?" She grinned as they took out there wands and Frank and Alice gasped. As one, they aimed their 'crucio' at Frank and Alice, who where thus hit by two spells each. They screamed in pain. She let the Death Eaters hold their spells a little longer before giving the couple some relief. This was repeated several times and Frank and Alice had a really bad time. The tried to fight them, but Bella only laughed at their attempts. Rodolphus, Rabastan and Barty were starting to look a little uncomfortable.

"I really think they know nothing…" Rodolphus nervously said. Bella shot him a look that could kill. "They know something. You're just not putting all effort in, are you? No, don't answer that, it wasn't a question. I'll just have to deal with them myself. Watch and learn," she smirked. Without warning, she hit the Longbottoms with a torturing spell even worse than crucio. Their cries were chilling. Upstairs, the baby started crying, which enraged Bella even more. [i]What right did they have to play happy family when she had everything taken away from her?[/i] She increased the power behind her torturing spells and laughed like a maniac the whole time.

When Rabastan got hit by a curse, she looked up, breaking the curse she was holding.

"Let them go, Bellatrix! It is over, the Dark Lord is dead and they have nothing to do with it!" someone yelled. She vaguely remembered him.

"Well, well, if it isn't Moody," she spat. "Come to claim your share?"

"You're under arrest, all of you. We have you surrounded so don't try anything."

There were indeed several other Aurors, some of which she had fought on previous occasions. "He's not dead, he will be back! And you suppose I'll just go with you? Forget it! I'm His most loyal servant and I will make you pay you ever stepped in our way!" She pointed her wand at him and fired a curse. It hit him in the face and he whimpered in pain, clutching his hands to his eye. Bella laughed but only for a short moment, because the other Aurors had all fired spells at her, petrifying her. They snatched her wand and tied her, as they did with the other three Death Eaters. When Bella revived from the curse they had placed her under, Frank and Alice were just mumbling blantantly, not being able to utter a whole phrase.

"You came too late Moody!" she shrieked and chuckled. It was a terrifying combination. Rodolphus had come to his senses as well and said: "You'd better leave my wife alone or else…"

The Aurors laughed and Rodolphus could praise his luck that Bella no longer had her wand upon her and that her looks alone could not kill, or else he'd have died on the spot. The Aurors knocked them unconscious before they were dragged away.

To Cissy, it was horrible. Things had happened at such at speedy pace that she could barely keep up. Bella was captured, put to trial and then sentenced to Azkaban. To watch her had been awful and Cissy had backed away at the look of madness in Bella's eyes when she declared that she was proud to be one of Lord Voldemorts most loyal servants. Cissy had held her breath and Lucius had squeezed her hand to comfort her. He had been trough trial too, but unlike Bella, he had declined ever haven willingly been in the service of the Dark Lord. She suspected he must have bribed people to have himself freed of charges and she wasn't particularly proud of him if that indeed was the case. She was however grateful that he had found a way to stay out of Azkaban so they could raise their son together. "Better times are ahead of us," he had whispered. She had placed her head on his shoulder and she had sighed.

To Andy, it was a mixture of feelings. She still felt grief, over the death of Douglas and Katrin. She was relieved that the Dark Lord was gone. She hated Bella for what she had become but at the same time felt sorry for the Bella that had been. "It's still my sister," she had tried to explain to Ted when he gasped at her voicing this emotion. "She wasn't always like this."

"She has made a choice Andy. A choice to do terrible things. Hell, she may even be responsible for killing my parents!"

"I know." She sighed. "I'm not saying I forgive her for what she has done but part of me pities her. He changed her."

Ted snorted.

"What if it was Dave?" she asked, heatedly.

"Dave is not a blood craving lunatic like your sister!"

She knew he had a point somewhere, but snapped back a reply nonetheless. It was the first time they had a fight and for two days they hardly spoke to one another. Dora picked up the feelings and changed her appearances constantly in order to try to make her parents laugh. After two days, Andy gave in. It was just ridiculous that they were fighting over Bella, of all people. "It's just not worth it," she whispered to Ted, who hugged her as a response.


	15. Interbellum

15. INTERBELLUM

The first year was the most horrible, the most difficult. The cell in Azkaban was cold, since Dementors were guarding her fervently. With them present, Bella relived the moments of when Rabastan had claimed the blood dept, taking her mercilessly whenever it pleased him; the moment Rodolphus had killed their offspring; the moment Andy had betrayed her. She cringed at the thought that it might be true, that He might really be dead. Her screams bounced of the walls, echoing around her cell to come back to her tripled in intensity. No one could hear her though but her inmates, imprisoned for the same reason she was: following Voldemort. She was the high-risk prisoner, the one they had locked away within the deepest parts of Azkaban and the one that was guarded the most ardently; their trophy, proof of their victory over the Dark Lord. Heavy chains tied her to the wall, so even something as simple as lying down on the brick they called a mattress proved uncomfortable. At night, as well as during the day, she could hear the screams coming out of the other cells and she knew they must feel as she did. She felt no empathy for them whatsoever. Her conscience had been steeled from torturing so many people and actually enjoying it, so strangely enough, she found solace in the mortified screams of the prisoners. It reminded her of the days when she had inflicted same kinds of agony.

She gradually became accustomed to their shrieks and squeals, and whilst trying to keep up the barriers around her own feelings, she made it a game to try to match each sound with the person producing it. A low grumble: Nott. A hysterical cry: Crouch. A high-pitched squeal, almost like a girl: Rabastan. His was actually one of the first she had learnt to recognize, for she had familiarised herself with it long before they were imprisoned.

As she put up her barriers, she tried to erase as much of her being as possible, because being faced with herself was the most fearsome and frightening. What little remained of the Bella that was, she tucked away, deep within her mind, where it could hardly be found by anyone, let alone herself. The Bella that had been was like a little flame burning, preventing her to go over the edge completely. She knew the Dark Lord would return someday and that was the only thing that kept her going. Her Lord would come back and would reward her for her faithfulness, for the suffering she had endured in her loyalty. She was certain of it and clung on to it with every part of her soul, or what was left of it.

Days became nights and nights turned into days, but inside of Azkaban there really wasn't that much of a difference. Bella lost track of the time she had been imprisoned. It could be a year but it could also be a decade. She didn't know and she didn't care. When He were to come for her, everything else would be meaningless. For she was His most loyal, His fiercest warrior, His best.

Andy was baking a cake. It was the day before Nymphadora's eleventh birthday. She knew an owl would be arriving in the morning, bringing Dora's admission letter for Hogwarts and felt that this special birthday deserved a special treat. She had the design for the cake thought out already: it would be bubblegum pink, Dora's favorite color, and on top there would be a miniature Hogwarts and the banisters of the four Houses. She made it the Muggle way, for she loved putting everything together, using her hands to mix and feel the dough transform into a cake, a sensation she missed when creating them magically. And using her hands always calmed her down when she had a lot on her mind.

The door to the kitchen burst open. "Hi mom, what are you doing?"

Dora rushed in, a blush on her cheeks from having run, and threw herself at her mother.

"Easy, easy, watch out for that plate!" Andy yelled, but it was already to late. The plate fell into pieces. Dora turned around. "Sorry," she mumbled.

Andy sighed. She flicked her wand to clean up the mess.

"That's so awesome mom!" Dora said.

"Hmm, sometimes I wonder if you're not doing it on purpose," Andy replied dryly.

"I don't, honestly." Dora used her most innocent smile and Andy grinned. "Not even a little?" Dora grinned too.

"So what're you doing?" she quickly changed the subject.

"Baking a cake."

"Oh, can I help, can I help? I loooove cakes!" Dora was jumping up and down with excitement. Andy saved the bowl on the counter from following the fate of the plate earlier.

"No of course not silly. It's for your birthday. If you help me with it, it won't be a surprise anymore, now would it?"

"Ah, please? I promise I'll look real surprised tomorrow, like I didn't even know you were making a cake," Dora pleaded with big eyes.

Andy looked at her daughter's face and started to laugh. "You're something, you know that? But fine, you can help me bake the cake. But you have get out of the kitchen when I start decorating, for I want at least something to be a surprise."

Dora looked as if she was about to protest, but instead she said: "Okay!"

"And no peeking through the keyhole," Andy added.

"Ah mom, you're no fun," Dora complained.

Andy smiled. "Let's just say I'm prepared for everything with you. Now, ready to get baking?"

Soon, they were rolling dough together. Dora was chattering away about all the things that kept little girls busy and Andy looked down upon her with fondness.

"Hmm, what's that delicious smell?" Ted appeared in the kitchen, leaving muddy footprints all over the kitchen floor.

"Ted!" Andy groaned.

He looked back at his footprints. "Oops, sorry," he said. "I'll clean it right away."

"Never mind, I got it," Andy sighed and with a flick of her wand the footsteps disappeared. "Honestly, you two..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but Ted looked guilty nonetheless. He knew exactly what she wanted to say, for she had told him several times already that he and Dora sometimes gave her grey hairs.

"Ah, but you still love me," he grinned as he walked over to her and kissed her, "Muddy footprints and all."

"You're crazy, you know that?"

"Yes, crazy about you." He kissed her again.

"Yuck," was Dora's comment. She rolled her eyes and laughing Ted and Andy pulled her into a hug.

"So, are you excited about tomorrow?" Ted asked. "Getting your letter from Hogwarts and all. Or not," he teased.

Dora's face fell. "You think I might not receive a letter?"

"Ted, stop teasing her." Andy turned to their daughter. "There is no doubt about it, you will receive a letter tomorrow. Look at you, you'll be a very clever witch. I think you will get the highest grades possible for Transfiguration," she giggled.

"There actually is a subject called Transfiguration?" Dora gasped. "That's wicked!"

Over her head, Ted and Andy smiled at each other. [i]Yes, their little girl definitely was ready for Hogwarts.[/i]

A couple of weeks later they were shopping for her school supplies in Diagon Alley when they ran into a family of redheads.

"Hi Molly, Arthur, we haven't seen you in quite a long while," Andy greeted them. They had met Arthur and Molly Weasley when they all were in the Order of the Phoenix but they hadn't really stayed in touch.

"Shopping for school supplies?" Molly inquired as she looked at Dora.

Andy nodded. "Yes, this little one here is about to start Hogwarts in September."

Dora let out an embarrassed "Mum!" at the 'little', but the women just smiled.

"My Charlie too," Molly answered. "He can use a lot of Bill's old stuff off course, but some things he just needs for himself." Molly's eldest had started Hogwarts two years prior and there were more Weasleys bound to go to Hogwarts in a couple of years.

"You know Arthur, what would you say about a butterbeer?" Ted cut in. He hated shopping and saw a nice opportunity to leave that to Andy.

"You'll be okay?" Arthur inquired.

Molly snorted. "If I can handle seven I can certainly handle one."

"Okay, see you girls later than." Before Andy and Molly could blink, the men had vanished.

"Men!" Molly grunted.

Andy smiled. "Ah well, they would only obstruct matters. Where are your other children? I heard you say you have seven now? Last time I saw you, you had five."

Molly nodded. "They're with my aunt Betsy."

The two women chattered on as they directed Dora and Charlie from store to store to get all the supplies they needed for Hogwarts. Andy saw Dora roll her eyes at Charlie as if to say 'mothers!' but decided wisely to ignore it. After all, she had often felt similar when her Mum took her and her sisters shopping.

"Have we got everything now?" Andy asked and looked closely at the list Hogwarts had sent. "Let's see, cauldron: check, robes: check, wand: check, books…"

She was interrupted by a sharp intake of breath from Molly. Andy looked up at her.

"That woman!" Molly said through clenched teeth. "Thinks she's better than everyone else just because they have money. Doesn't do anything useful. Just has one child to look after and the only thing she cares about is throwing parties to 'mingle with society'. Ha!"

Andy looked around and her eyes stopped at the sight of a blonde woman with a toddler, who indeed had an air of disdain over her. Blood withdrew from her face as she recognized the woman. Meanwhile, Molly's tirade went on. "Their son is the same age as my Ron but won't you just look at him! Always in the most expensive clothes and every bit as arrogant as his parents already. Oh no, she's heading our way!"

Andy couldn't help it but she backed away. She quickly pulled Dora in the store they had just left as the woman was indeed approaching Molly. She panted and her heart raced. She hadn't seen her sister in ages but there was no mistake about it that the woman Molly had such a low opinion of was indeed Cissy. So Cissy had become somewhat of a snob then? It pained her to see that, but she wasn't [i]really[/i] surprised. Cissy had always been the princess, the spoiled one and apparently her husband had only encouraged her.

"Mum, what are you doing?" Dora complained. "We've already been in here. And why are you looking like you've seen a ghost?"

Andy sighed. Still trembling slightly, she told Dora to look through the window. "Is she gone?" she said.

"Who?"

"Ci…. the blond woman," she finished helplessly.

"No, she and Mrs. Weasley are talking now. Mrs. Weasley doesn't seem too happy," the girl commented. "Ah, she's leaving now."

Andy sighed again, this time of relief.

"Who is she?" Dora asked. "And why are you afraid of her?"

"I'm not afraid of her," Andy replied. "It's just, I haven't seen her in over a decade and I wasn't prepared to meet her today." Without giving Dora any opportunity to inquire the matter further, she went back outside.

"Where did you go all of a sudden, leaving me alone with that woman?" Molly asked.

"I'm sorry Molly. I, I just wasn't prepared…" her voice faltered. Realization dawned on Molly's face. "Oh dear, I totally forgot. I'm sorry about what I said. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. It was bound to happen some day but I just wasn't expecting it to be here in Diagon Alley."

"Poor thing. I think we have everything we need now, so how about we join the men in the Leaky Cauldron?"

Andy nodded and Molly put her arm around her and hugged her. "You'll be fine."

Back at home, Andy started thinking how very weird it was that she had been within yards of Cissy without having talked to her. It kept nagging at her so in the end she decided she would write Cissy a letter. It took her a long time to write it, because she wasn't at all sure what she would write. Everyday stuff like how your child was doing, was too casual to write to someone about when you haven't seen them in ages, whereas politics would prove too heavy, especially since Cissy's husband was still suspected by a part of the community to have collaborated with You-Know-Who. She managed well at last, she thought, but it took her another four days before she dared sending it. She remembered Amelia telling her that Cissy was living near Wiltshire but didn't know a precise address. However, trusting on the capabilities of the owls over at the post office, she simply addressed it to 'Cissy, Malfoy Manor, near Wiltshire'.

When the letter was delivered to Narcissa the next morning, she frowned and turned the envelope over in her hand. Virtually no one called her Cissy these days, expect for Lucius and he sure wouldn't write her a letter addressed liked that. She toyed with the idea of just throwing the letter in the fire, because anyone oblivious to addressing her in the proper way didn't deserve a moment of her precious time, but in the end, curiosity won. She opened the envelope neatly and unfolded the piece of paper it contained.

[i]Dear Cissy,[/i] it read.

[i]I know we haven't contacted one another in over a decade and perhaps you thought (or even hoped?) me dead, but I hope you will read this letter for it took me some courage to write it.[/i]

Narcissa frowned again. That was a curious way to start a letter. She glanced at the bottom end of the other side of the piece of paper and gasped. In a thin, precise handwriting was written a name she had not encountered since she was but a teenager: that of her sister Andromeda. She thoughtfully placed the letter on her lap. Did she [i]want[/i] to read the rest of the letter? She decided that, yes, she would finish it. She could always decide later on if it should be thrown into the fire after al. So she read on.

[i]The other day, I saw you in Diagon Alley with your little boy when I was shopping for school supplies for Dora, my daughter. You probably haven't seen me, because I backed out of the street and into a store. I was with Molly Weasley. You must think me a coward, but it startled me to see you after all these years and it would have been very awkward to meet each other.[/i]

Narcissa put the letter down again. She remembered talking to the redhead woman but hadn't seen Andromeda. She was right though, meeting her after all these years in a place like Diagon Alley would indeed have been [i]very[/i] awkward.

If she was buying Hogwarts supplies, than her daughter must be like eleven years old. She calculated. On the day of her wedding, in December, Amelia had told her the little girl was three years old, almost four. She and Lucius had just celebrated their seven-and-a-half wedding anniversary, so that would mean that the girl had indeed turned eleven last April. Curious how a simple fact like that could make you all of a sudden feel like time has just flown by without you actually knowing where it went. Curious name too, Dora. She snorted. Probably from the Muggle side of the family.

She continued reading the letter, frowning now and then or pausing. After she had finished reading it, she started pacing up and down the living room, debating with herself whether or not she would reply to it. Her first instinct was no, she wouldn't. But despite being mad at her sister, she also regretted having lost all contact with her. Narcissa ended up writing a short letter of reply; long enough to meet social standards but short enough to show that that was all there was to it. Apparently, the message had come through, for she received no other letters from her sister for a very long time. Soon, she forgot about it.

When she did remember the correspondence, it was several years later. Draco had grown into a fine young man and Cissy spoiled him whenever she had the opportunity, as did Lucius. They felt sorry that there were no siblings for him to play with, so as a compensation they bought him all the toys he wanted. Lucius' work at the Ministry went well and he had gotten two promotions already. Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic, and his wife were close personal friends, a thing they flaunted with matter-of-factly at social gatherings. Cissy enjoyed hosting gatherings and the Malfoys had become respected members of the wizarding community. Druella and Cygnus were proud of her to continue the 'name' of the Blacks in her acting and Cissy was glad her actions pleased them.

A few months before Draco turned eleven, Cygnus fell ill and died a couple of weeks later. Druella left it to Cissy to arrange the funeral so all of a sudden Cissy found herself wrapped up in paperwork and the bustle of it. The days before the funeral were hectic and when the day of the burial came, she felt herself somewhat relax. [i]In a day, this would all be over and then she would have time to grief.[/i] She managed alright, shaking hands with people she usually met at parties, but standing at the edge of the grave she suddenly felt very alone, even with her mother and Lucius beside her. What she missed, she realized with a pang, were her sisters. She missed Bellatrix and even Andromeda. They ought to have been there, so they could comfort one another. That evening, she wrote Andy a short letter, stating that 'Father had died'. Nothing more, nothing less, but she felt Andy needed to be told.

Druella withdrew herself from the society and Cissy felt she didn't quite know how to handle it all. The result of recent events made one thing very clear to her: she didn't want Draco to go to Durmstrang anymore.

"He's so young, I don't want him to go all the way to Durmstrang on his own," she told Lucius one night.

Lucius raised an eyebrow. "We've talked this through dear, Durmstrang is the best school for him. We know Igor and he keeps a strict regime."

"Can't he just go to Hogwarts instead? I heard Severus is Head of Slytherin these days…"

"Hmpf," Lucius snorted. "Severus was ever so quick to renounce the Dark Lord."

"As were you," she retorted.

"That's different."

"Is it? Look, I don't doubt Igor, but Bulgaria is so very far away. If we sent him to Hogwarts, at least he'll be home for the holidays. Wouldn't you rather he could mingle with the children of high ranked dignitaries? Membres of our society's pure-bloods?"

The look on Lucius' face told that she had hit a weak spot and she knew that if she played her cards well, she would get what she wanted. She doubled her efforts. "It will be good for him to make connections at school that can be useful for him in his later life.

Don't you want our son to have the right connections?"

"He'll get plenty of them from the soirées you throw," Lucius replied.

"No he won't. He'll be in Bulgaria most of the time."

"Igor will make a man out of him, that's for sure."

Cissy almost smiled. [i]Oh, this was almost [/i]too[i] easy.[/i] "But darling, you went to Hogwarts. Does that make you less of a man? No, of course not! You wouldn't be the man I love if you had attended Durmstrang. I can only hope that Draco will one day become the man you are now. And it was Hogwarts that shaped you."

"Dumbledore has turned really old. And there are way too many Muggles there these days."

"There won't be many Muggles in Slytherin dear, you know that."

"I still don't like it."

Cissy knew by then that she had won, it was only a matter of time for Lucius to give in. She used her final card to conclude the matter. "You know, I heard Jozias Buckletorn is retreating from the board of governors next year, so there'll be a spot open for a dedicated parent who wants to have a say in the way Hogwarts is ruled. Doesn't that sound like something for you?"

Lucius sighed. "All right, have it your way then. He'll go to Hogwarts. I'll send Jozias an owl first thing in the morning so he can introduce me to the other members of the board. And we'll have to notifie Igor."

And so it was that Draco went to Hogwarts instead of Durmstrang. When he boarded the Hogwarts Express on September 1st, Cissy made him promise to write at least three times a week. Draco rolled his eyes.

"All right, once a week then," she reluctantly said. "And make us proud love. Don't go against your teachers and …."

He interrupted her. "I'm eleven now Mom, I'm not a baby anymore. I have to go now." He hesitated a moment, then he gave her a hug. When the train left the platform, Cissy's eyes were still a bit wet.

"There he goes," she sighed. "Our baby is of to school. Doesn't time go by quickly? I'm gonna miss him so much."

"You'll be fine dear," assured Lucius.

For the first couple of months, she wrote to him twice a week, sending him candy and other stuff she thought he might like. He wrote back once a week like he had promised, and his letters made her feel like she was there with him, watching over his shoulder. He had a deep dislike for the Potter boy. Cissy knew he was about Draco's age, but she had not expected them to be classmates. According to Draco's letters, he was a pompous git, flaunting his scar at whoever wanted to see it, was very close with Dumbledore. Draco had offered him join 'the right kind of people' but the boy preferred one of the Weasley boys and a Muggleborn witch for crying out loud. Clearly the boy was deluded. Draco loathed him and so it was only natural that she took a disliking to the boy as well.

"Mom, Dad, you'll never guess who I'll be working with! Whoops, sorry 'bout that." Dora came rushing into the living room, knocking over the coat and hat stand. With a flick of her wand she put it back into its place. Her parents looked up at her expectantly.

"Alastair Moody!" she said happily. "Of all the Aurors to be working with, I was kind of hoping it would be him. He's caught so many dark wizards and witches and I'm sure I can learn a lot from him."

"Well, congratulations love! I take it your exams went well then?"

"Yeah. Outstanding on Transfiguration, who would have guessed?" she grinned and Ted grinned back at her. "Who would have guessed indeed?"

"Managed an Above Average on Stealth though. Next year probably will be tougher. But hey, I passed first year, that's all that matters."

Dora was pacing up and down. "Did you know that Alastair caught the ones responsible for torturing Alice and Frank Longbottom? They were Aurors too, you know. It must have been one hell of a fight from what I've heard. Alastair lost a leg [i]and[/i] an eye."

"Well, that wouldn't surprise me," Andy replied sourly. "Bella always had her way with torture spells."

"Bella?" Dora stopped pacing and raised an eyebrow. "You mean Bellatrix Lestrange, the Death Eater that was captured? Why are you calling her Bella, like you've know her?"

Ted and Andy exchanged glances. Andy sighed. Ted took her hand and nodded comfortingly.

"What?" asked Dora. She looked from one parent to another.

"Well, I guess we should've told you earlier, but there just never seemed to be a right moment," Andy started., her voice trembling slightly. "I mean, how do you tell a kid that their… aunt… is in Azkaban for having killed and tortured people?" She laughed nervously.

"But… but… you told me about only one sister," Dora said, stunned by this remark. "Cissy, wasn't it? The one that sent you that letter? The one we saw in Diagon Alley that one time?"

Now it was Ted's turn to raise a questioning eyebrow. Andy sighed again.

"Yes, it was Cissy that we saw on Diagon Alley when shopping for school supplies. It was also Cissy that I wrote to a couple of days later and who wrote back a couple of days after that. She was also the one who wrote me that my father had died. Narcissa's the youngest." She closed her eyes for a moment.

"However, I'm not the eldest. Bella, or Bellatrix, is. She used to be very pleasant company, until she met You-Know-Who. He brought out the worst in her. He transformed her into some sort of monster and after her marriage to Rodolphus we barely saw her anymore. She strongly believed everything my parents told us about blood purity and when I met your dad… well, let's just say she was the first to show that my family wasn't particularly pleased with the fact that I was going out with a Muggle."

She cast a wry smile. Ted cut in. "Yes, I remember that very well. I walked around with antlers for days. You can still see the scars on my head."

"Antlers?" Dora tried not to laugh picturing her dad with antlers on his head.

"You can laugh all you want, but it was a darn nasty piece of magic," Andy said sadly. "I should have known then already that there was something wrong."

"Now, don't blame yourself Dromeda. Bellatrix chose You-Know-Who's side willingly and knowingly, I'm certain of that."

"I'm sorry Mom, I didn't know... Well, that clarifies a lot. Alastair asked if I was seeking revenge in wanting to become an Auror. I didn't understand what he was talking about, but I think I do now. He was referring to Bellatrix, wasn't he?"

"I think that's what he meant, yes."

"My, I still can't get my head around the fact the you and she are sisters. You're so very different from each other!"

Dora started asking questions about Andy's youth, how it had been with her sisters. Andy was reluctant to talk about it at first, but she soon found that it was also some sort of relief to be able to talk about it. About all the things they had shared, good and bad alike.


	16. The Dark Lord returns

16. THE DARK LORD RETURNS

"Hmm, you're marvelous." Narcissa yawned. She had persuaded Lucius to take the day off, something he rarely did, and they had just spent the entire afternoon in bed. Draco being away at Hogwarts [i]did[/i] have some advantages. She stretched enticingly and the silk sheets slid of her and revealed her breasts. She giggled when Lucius' let his eyes slide over her slender body. "Liking what you see?" she teased.

"You know very well that I do," he replied and kissed her. "You're beautiful."

They hadn't had much time together lately, with Lucius being busy at the Ministry, but it comforted her that even now that she had turned forty, he still found her attractive. She could still feel the glow of their love making on her skin and with a content sigh she placed her head on his shoulder. At the moment, she was perfectly happy.

After a while she said: "I've missed this you know. Us, the intimacy, just time for the two of us in general."

"Me too." He kissed her on the head.

"You know, you could take a day off more often…"

"Hmm, I'll think about it," he teased. "What's your offer?"

She punched him. "You're such a boggart," she laughed.

He yelped and inhaled sharply.

"Oh come on, you big baby. I didn't punch you that hard."

"No that's not it Cissa. He has returned."

"Lucius, don't make jokes about that. You know I don't like it."

"I wish I were joking." His face had gone pale and he turned towards her, turning his arm so she could see the Mark glowing darkly. She too turned pale. "But how… what…"

"I don't know. But I need to go right now."

"The one time you take a day off…" she shook her head sadly.

"Well, just lucky too. Imagine the explaining I had to do if I had been at the Ministry at this moment."

She had to admit he was right. She pushed herself on one elbow. Meanwhile, Lucius had gotten dressed and had put his cloak on. "I love you," he said and then he Disapparated before she had time to return the message.

Cissy knew that if the Dark Lord were to receive Lucius' return with wrath, those might have been the last words she would ever hear from her husband. She sank back into the cushions. Her playful mood of just minutes ago had gone. [i]He had returned… [/i] She had always held the possibility of it at the back of her mind, but with the passing of the years the chances of it ever going to happen had diminished. At times, she found she could even forget it had happened at all, and now, after more than a decade, the one thing she had feared had happened. What would he say if he found out about the diary? If things went wrong, Lucius had not even been able to say goodbye to Draco…

She jumped out of the bed. [i]Draco! Was he safe? She had to write him a letter to find out.[/i] She hastily put on a bathrobe and was already halfway towards her cabinet, when she stopped still. It dawned on her that she couldn't possibly write to Draco without rising suspicions about Lucius' loyalty. They had spent all this years to reestablish their good name after the First Wizarding War and she wouldn't be the one to toss that aside in a matter of minutes.

So she spent the next few hours pacing up and down the bedroom, desperately hoping that the Dark Lord would forgive Lucius his denunciation and that her husband would return safely. When he finally returned, pale but in one piece, she flung herself at him. "Thank goodness, I was so worried," she whispered and felt tears of relief running down her cheeks.

He pulled her close and held her tight. "He wasn't really convinced at first of my loyalty but I think that the information I had from within the Ministry helped my cause and gave Him some more certainty."

She looked up at him, the question she didn't dare ask in her eyes.

"Don't worry dear. I've not yet told him everything I know. I'm not that stupid. But we'll be worthy of His trust, we'll be loyal servants and He'll regain His confidence in my abilities."

They were silent for a moment. Then, hesitantly, she asked: "How was it?"

"It was… strange to see Him again after all this years. He has changed, Cissy, you wouldn't recognize him anymore. It was also a strange place He summoned us to, we were standing at a graveyard."

"Who were there?"

"The usual; Goyle, Grabbe, Nott… but we were not with many. Of course, a lot of us are still in Azkaban, so they could not have responded the summoning. I don't think Bellatrix would be pleased to find out she missed His return."

Narcissa nodded. "She has always proclaimed herself His most dedicated follower, so I think you're right. What will happen to them, now that He has returned? I reckon they'll be freed soon?"

"Well, don't be too sure about it. He has ordered us to maintain a low profile, but to keep our eyes and ears open for any activity linking to Dumbledore. But I don't know. Maybe it has been going on for longer than we are aware off, for the Dark Lord proclaimed to have great fate that Barty would the task he'd been given. As far as I knew, Barty was still imprisoned, so I was a little surprised to hear his name."

He gently stroked her hair and as if talking to himself, he murmured. "Mind you, that wasn't the only surprise we got." He paused. "I was astonished to see Peter Pettigrew at the scene."

Cissy looked up, her eyebrow raised questioningly. "Peter Pettigrew? But I thought he died! When he ran into Sirius, he got killed, right?"

Lucius flinched at the mention of the man they had tried desperately to get their hands on since his escape from Azkaban last year, but regained his posture quite quickly.

"That's what I thought. That's what we all thought. But apparently he didn't, for he was there, even before we were. And you know who else was there?"

"Well?"

"Harry bloody Potter."

Narcissa gasped. "What?"

"You know the tournament they've been holding at Hogwarts this year, the Triwizard Cup?"

She nodded. Lucius and Draco had talked a lot about it, about how ridiculous it was that Harry should participate and how much they hoped he wouldn't make it past this task or that. They had even placed bets amongst them. Draco had not made it a secret that he hoped that the Diggory boy would win, even though he also greatly admired Kruml.

"Potter made it through the maze and the Cup had been transformed into a Portkey, leading him directly to the graveyard. The Diggory boy was there too, but he was dead already when I arrived."

"Such a shame, he was a pure blood and a talented one from what I've heard."

"Yes, a shame indeed. But the oddest thing happened. When the Dark Lord tried to kill the Potter boy, their wands sort of… connected. I know it sounds crazy, but he wasn't able to kill the boy and in the end he managed to escape. Needless to say that He wasn't too pleased with that."

"Now what? He'll probably will have told Dumbledore already!"

"He probably will but it is not to be known already that the Dark Lord has returned. But you'll find that people will not want to believe the stories of an old fool and a boy who thinks himself a hero. You know Cornelius. He doesn't believe anything he hasn't seen with his own eyes. We'll be all right. But like I said, we'll have to keep a low profile for the time being."

"And how exactly will we do that?" She was skeptical, and he couldn't blame her.

"Just by carrying on the things we usually do, as not to rise suspicions."

"Like, hosting the soirée I had planned for next weekend, like nothing has happened?"

"Exactly."

"And Draco… do we tell him?"

"No. Not yet. He might flaunt it to his friends, or worse the Potter boy. Besides, think about what might happen if such a letter were to be intercepted."

"I guess you're right," she agreed eventually, "but it feels just bad to leave him in the unknown."

"Holidays are in a couple of weeks, Cissa, that'll be soon enough to tell him.

Back in her cell in Azkaban, Bellatrix too had felt the burning of her Mark, indicating her that the Dark Lord had returned. She was exhilarated and delirious. The Dark Lord had returned, just as she had always said He would! Oh, there had been signs off course that he was growing stronger, but never this powerful, never this clear, never like the overwhelming feeling that overtook her the moment He touched one of their Marks. There was pain off course, for those who did not answer the summoning suffered the burning, like some punishment, were you ever to disobey it.. There was also disappointment, that she could not be there to witness His return. But she welcomed the pain. It proved her that she was still alive, that He was alive and that soon, He would come for her. She even welcomed the disappointment, for it was a change in her otherwise monotone existence. She knew that soon He would have her freed, His most loyal servant, His lieutenant. Maybe she could not be there to triumph at this very moment, but He would reward for her faith in Him, for her persistent loyalty to Him. She let out a laugh that chilled the blood in the veins of her inmates, even though they had been stomped by the constant presence of the Dementors sucking up their very souls.

[i]Oh yes, everything would be different from now on.[/i]

Even Andromeda knew very quickly of the return of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Her cousin Sirius had been staying with them for quite some time now since his escape from Azkaban. She had not welcomed him at first, for he had after all been convicted for betraying the Potters and for murdering a dozen Muggles. However, Dumbledore had vouched for him and since she trusted his judgment, she had reluctantly opened her house to Sirius. He had weakened and was changed from his thirteen or so years in Azkaban, but after having met Harry Potter, his godson as he had confided in them, his spirits had lightened.

"He looks so much like James, you wouldn't believe it," he had told her and his eyes had sparkled. "And he's a very talented wizard, he has already faced He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

They had let him talk. They didn't know the boy, so they just took his word on it. Dumbledore spoke highly of him as well, so that only in the boy's favor.

And now apparently You-Know-Who had returned. Dumbledore had sent out owls to the members of the Order immediately following the events at Hogwarts, for he feared – and righteously so – that the Ministry would go in denial. Andy and Ted had gone white on reading his letter, but Sirius had sprang up, fist clenched in the air.

"I'll get him!" he roared. "I'll pay him back for what he's done! I'll go immediately."

"Sirius, don't be a fool," Andy said.

This caused him to frown. "Don't you want revenge for the things he has done?" Fury was burning in his eyes and she backed away a bit.

"Of course I do," she replied. "And I know Azkaban gives you a bigger motive than it does us, even though his followers killed Ted's parents, but to go running blindly off to his whereabouts, is a suicide mission." She shook her head. "I'm sure the Potters wouldn't want you to get yourself killed just because you're reckless."

He was about to spat a reply back at her, but Ted cut in. "She's right. Let's just await what Dumbledore has to say on the matter and act accordingly."

Grudgingly, Sirius took his seat again, his face darkened with the rage he felt over the return of You-Know-Who, a rage that he only barely managed to withhold.

Andromeda placed her hand on her cousin's arm. "Sirius, please," she said softly. "Don't do anything stupid. If not for me, than do it for your godson. What must he think of you if you abandoned him this quickly?"

This seemed to strike a nerve, for Sirius calmed down a bit. "I'll just await Dumbledore's orders then," he said reluctantly.

Andy and Ted looked at each other once again. [i]What would happen now that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had returned?[/i]

They were soon to find out. In the beginning, not much happened. Despite Albus' efforts, Cornelius Fudge, the Ministry and the Daily Prophet refused to accept the fact that You-Know-Who had returned and soon rumours were sprea that Albus was getting a bit old and senile. It pissed them off. Andromeda tried talking to Amelia, but she couldn't believe that the Minister of Magic would lie about something like that. The fact that there were no reports of missing persons, no reports on strange deads, no reports in short, of any Death Eater activity, seemed the prove the Minister's point of view.

Meanwhile, Dumbledore had assembled the remaining members of the original Order of the Phoenix. Dora seemed only too eager to partake so Andy and Ted told Dumbledore that they would gladly be of help, but that they didn't want to be in Dora's way. He had nodded and smiled.

Sirius had offered his parent's house on Grimmauld Place as headquarters, so he moved out of Andy and Ted's. The place fell quiet without Andy and Sirius bickering like siblings and Andy smiled when Ted mentioned that.

"We are each other lifeline, you know, each other's only link to something like family. My father's dead, my mother is in some godforsaken place, my eldest sister is a deranged lunatic and my youngest sister only cares about social status. His isn't much better: my aunt, uncle and cousin are all dead. Ironic, isn't it? That the outcasts become the survivors?"

"Yes, the Black family certainly lives – or lived – up to their name," Ted replied dryly.

Bellatrix knew things were about to happen even before they did. The Dementors had been displaying weird behavior lately and she felt they weren't guarding her as ardently as they had once done. Her exhilaration over the return of her Lord made her able to block them out more fervently, putting up defenses that were stronger than they had been in years. She touched the Mark on her forearm with the tender care of a lover. [i]It would be so good to be reunited with Him once more.[/i]

When she was at last freed, it didn't come as a surprise, though she hadn't expected half of the walls of her cell to blow up. She looked at it in disbelief, than she started to laugh. There were no Dementors anywhere near. She was free!

"Accio wand!" she yelled. For a moment, nothing happened, but then she noticed a small trembling in the air and there it was. She cherished the wood that immediately felt comfortable again in her hand. She had not known how it would be after all those years, but it felt like she held it only yesterday. She was delighted. She undid the shackles that were holding her down and fired some spells around, just to get accustomed to it again. She didn't care if other prisoners were freed or hurt in the attack; let them sort things to out for themselves, she thought. Bellatrix shot a snake in the air and after having caressed her Mark once more, she Disapparated.

Moments later she Apparated, almost throwing up from the Apparition she had performed on an empty stomach and disorientated for she couldn't quite place were she was. However, she strongly felt her Master's presence, so He had to be close. She took a deep breath to get some fresh air in her lungs and to get rid of the nausea. It had been thirteen odd years since she last Apparated, so it took her a while to regain herself fully. When she felt a bit better, she looked around more closely. The place looked vaguely familiar, come to think of it. Her memory was slowly coming back and she now remembered why it looked so familiar: she was at Malfoy Manor, where her sister lived with that no-good of a husband of hers. She snorted. [i]Of all the places He could have picked…[/i] But who was she to judge His decisions? He must have had a reason for it. She strolled over to the front door and opened it without effort. She walked straight up to the living room, where she found the Malfoys sitting and chatting.

"Guess who's back," she lilted. "Did you miss me?"

There was a sharp intake of breath from both Narcissa and Lucius and then Narcissa said: "Bellatrix! How on earth did you get here?"

"Through the front door, obviously," Bellatrix replied sarcastically. "Though I imagined a Black might protect her house more thoroughly than this."

"So, why are you here?" Narcissa was obviously trying to get her head around things and the look she shot Bellatrix didn't please the latter at all. She hadn't been able to see for herself yet, but judging by the look on Narcissa's face, she must look horrifying. That pleased her.

"I got summoned," she replied. "As you know." She stroked her left forearm affectionately.

"But that was months ago," Lucius objected, having finally regained control over his voice.

"Ah, [i]dear[/i] Lucius," she put an emphasis on the word 'dear' that showed she meant quite the opposite, "I suppose you sprang to the occasion, didn't you? But unlike you, I've stayed faithful and did my time in Azkaban for His glory, whereas you wriggled yourself out of it by defying Him." She sank down on one of the chairs, nonchalantly putting her feet up on the coffee table as if she were in her own house. "Say, have you been donating large sums of money lately to some ministerial fund or the other or did you only do that to save your own ass?" She smiled innocently.

Lucius clenched his fists, but Narcissa interrupted. "Leave it," she snapped. "I'm pretty sure you didn't come here just to annoy my husband. You escaped Azkaban than, I presume?"

"I'm pretty sure you'll read all about it in tomorrow's [i]Daily Prophet[/i]," Bellatrix chuckled. "It was quite a blast, if you know what I mean."

But before any of them could reply, a voice said: "I see you have returned to join my ranks Bellatrix. How fortunate." It was a voice she'd been hoping to hear for a long time now, and she immediately jumped to her feet. She bowed deeply.

"I'm delighted by your return, my Lord. I've never doubted you would come back and I've never defied your ways."

"That has not gone unnoticed," he replied. "Your perseverance shall be rewarded."

At these words, she shot a triumphant look at Lucius, who feigned not to notice.

"Get up Bella," Lord Voldemort said coldly. "I'll be needing your arm."

She eagerly pulled up the sleeves of her prisonrobes and as he took her forearm, directly touching her mark with his hand, she almost fainted from the sheer power of it. She closed her eyes to fully savor in his powerful magic and when she opened them again, the room was more crowded than it had been a moment ago. More Death Eaters had gathered, including some of them who she knew to have been in Azkaban with her. Judging by their looks, they had only just managed to escape.

Lord Voldemort looked around at his followers.

"As you can see, we're more numerous tonight than on previous occasions. And as you might have concluded, this is due to the fact that Dementors are no longer our adversaries."

When the [i]Daily Prophet[/i] arrived the next morning, Andromeda Tonks got the shock of a lifetime on seeing the face of her elder sister on the frontpage, amongst some other faces she wasn't to pleased about seeing.

[i]Mass outbreak out of Azkaban[/i] the title of the article said.

[i]Last night, ten high-risk prisoners managed to escape from Azkaban. Amongst them is Bellatrix Lestrange, cousin of the mass-murderer Sirius Black, the only person to ever before have escaped Azkaban.[/i]

The article went on and on and as she finished it, Anromeda put down the paper.

"It is as we were dreading," she said, shaking slightly. "They've escaped. Next thing you know, there'll be killings. Again." She was horrified by this news, as were Ted and Dora.

"I'll be of then," Nymphadora said gravely. "They'll be wanting me back at the office now that this has happened."

Sure enough, an owl flew in and dropped a Ministry letter in her lap, urging her to come back to work as quickly as possible. After she left, Ted and Andy looked at each other, terrified. [i]It was starting all over again…[/i]


	17. At the Ministry

17. AT THE MINISTRY

Narcissa was furious. "How dare she come waltzing in here and giving orders like she owns this place?"

It had been a week since Bellatrix' escape from Azkaban and during this time she had stayed at Malfoy Manor. Other Death Eaters had come in and out on occasions but things between the two sisters were tense. Bellatrix had resumed her air of 'confidante' almost immediately, telling others, including Lucius and Narcissa, what to do.

Lucius was pacing up and down the study, no more pleased with the situation than his wife. "Just keep up with it," he said eventually. "She'll be gone soon. Rodolphus has already returned to Lestrange Estate and she'll want to be with her husband sooner or later."

Narcissa snorted. "Don't be a fool," she said. "They don't love each other. Or maybe Rodolphus does, but she certainly never loved him. She loathes him. If anything, she'll want to be as far away from him as possible."

Lucius took a moment to diverge this but then said: "Still, I reckon she'll be out soon. In the meantime, we'll just have to endure her stay."

"But the way she keeps having a go at you," she said, "doesn't it madden you?"

"Of course it does," he grunted. "But she's only provoking you, waiting to strike should any of us react. She was already crazy before Azkaban, but her imprisonment has even aggravated that. You wouldn't stand a change against her."

"Is that so?" Narcissa's eyes narrowed. "Are you saying I'm less of a witch than she is? That I'm incapable of dueling my own sister if it were to come to that?"

"That's not what I'm saying."

"Then what [i]are[/i] you saying?"

Lucius sighed. "Nothing dear, just let it rest."

"I will most certainly not 'let it rest' when my very own husband is insulting me in my very own house."

"My house actually," he said sarcastically. They were all very tense from Bellatrix' constant hovering presence and he was getting worked up now too. "You know, [i]Malfoy[/i] Manor?"

It took him about a second before he realized he had made an enormous mistake and then he felt Narcissa's flat hand on his cheek. "You're an arse, Lucius [i]Malfoy[/i]."

She stormed out of the study, fuming.

She was still fuming when she ran into Bellatrix. "It's all your fault!" she yelled at her. Bellatrix raised an eyebrow.

"Just go back to your own house and leave me alone!"

"Well, I must say I had expected a [i]little[/i] more hospitality given all the times you stayed over at my place," Bellatrix sneered. "What happened, sis, does dear old Lucius no longer accepts my presence in his house?"

"Shut up about Lucius!" Narcissa clenched her fists.

"Oh, touched a nerve there, haven't I?" Bellatrix mocked. "But don't you worry dear, the Dark Lord requested my assistance on a mission, so I'll be leaving tonight. Isn't that wonderful?"

"Fine! The sooner the better!" Narcissa turned on her heels and stalked straight to her own quarters. She was shaking. "What do they think I am?" she muttered angrily to herself as she slammed the door shut. "Some kind of doll? Just there to look pretty and decorate the house while my husband handles business? Well, if that's what they think, let's see how they handle things without me."

She knew where she would go. It had sprung to mind almost the moment she stormed in her quarters. Purposefully she groped a hand full of Floo powder. She hesitated only a moment. But she had helped Aurore out when she had had a row with her husband and Aurore had said that if the situation was ever to be reversed, she was more than welcome. Thus far, she had never needed the favor returned, but she felt it might be a good time now. So she stepped into the fireplace, let go off the Floo powder and said: "Résidence Meunier." Instantly, she was transported to the mansion in the north of France where Aurore lived with her husband.

"It's all your fault!"

For the second time in less than a day Bellatrix heard these words uttered at her, this time by her brother-in-law. Like the first time round, she raised an eyebrow. "What is it this time?" she asked sarcastically.

"Where is Cissa?"

"She took a run for it?" a grin spread across her face. "Can't say I'm surprised, having you as a husband. Mind you, I had expected it a lot earlier."

"What have you said to her?"

"Nothing much. Merely that I would be gone in a couple of hours. Had I known I might have added a few snide remarks about my present company," she sneered.

It cost him all him self control to ignore her remarks and he asked again where Narcissa had gone.

"I don't know, but Narcissa is perfectly capable of looking after herself."

He looked her straight in the eyes and to her stupor she felt a gentle probing. She had her mind shut and her wand at his throat before he could even blink.

"You did [i]not[/i] just try that on me," she hissed.

Lucius backed away a bit from the tip of her wand but she progressed until she had him cornered. "If you wanna live you'd better not try that again. Lesser men than you have lost against me."

"It's not like you're the only one who knows how to perform a crucio," he replied angrily, reaching down in his robes for his wand.

"Perhaps not, but I am still the only one who studied with the Dark Lord for years. Has Cissy never mentioned this to you?"

As she spoke, she was moving her wand a little and a small streak of orange light immersed from it. Lucius' eyes popped slightly as the small streak of orange wound itself around his throat and pulled tighter, slowly choking him.

"Bet you've never heard of this spell, have you?" she whispered. "I learned the Arts from the Dark Lord himself and He also taught me how to seal my mind to impervious intruders such as yourself."

Lucius was now turning an awkward shade of purple and relentlessly she loosened the spell. "You'd better remember that next time you try to overdo me," she said when she ultimately released him. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have matters to attend to." And on that note she Disapparated in a whirl of black smoke, leaving Lucius mad and coughing.

Bellatrix didn't visit Malfoy Manor for a couple of weeks, by which time Narcissa had long since returned. She and Lucius had mended things and with Bellatrix now merely a guest now and then, they felt more at ease to confront her. The Easter holidays were approaching and Narcissa was looking forward to them, because Draco would be spending them at the Manor.

He seemed a lot happier than during the Christmas holidays.

"How are things over at Hogwarts?" asked Narcissa. "Are you still content with Professor Umbridge?"

Draco nodded gleefully. "She is the best thing that has ever happened to Hogwarts. Did you know, she has installed an inquisitory squad that can withdraw points or hand out punishments to students who misbehave?"

"I heard something mentioned at the Ministry, yes," said Lucius.

"Guess who's one of its most prominent members?" Draco was playing nonchalantly with his drink.

"Really? Oh Draco, that's amazing!" Narcissa stood up and hugged him. "Of course I knew there was no way she would not ask you, but still. Well done dear, well done!" She hugged him again.

"Mum, you can let go now," he said a little embarrassed.

"I bet everybody looks up at you now even more than before, don't they?"

"Oh yes. Of course, Potter and the Weasel think they're above it, but it looks like Gryffindor'll end below zero points this year," he let out a roaring laughter and Lucius and Narcissa joined in. Narcissa looked at her son with fondness. She had always known that he would follow in his father's footsteps, and look, he was already a respected member of a Ministry approved organization.

"They're up to something, you know," Draco said, now serious again. "Professor Umbridge thinks they're plotting against the Ministry and she would be ever so happy to find out what it is they're up to. If only I could figure it out…"

"I'm sure you will Draco. Potter and his friends are no match for you," Narcissa said soothingly.

"Speaking of that vermin," spoke Lucius, "how are you doing in preparing your OWLs? For I expect you to do excellent."

"Lucius, give the poor kid a break, he's on holiday!" pleaded Narcissa.

"Holiday or not, I will not stand him scoring lower on his OWLs than that Granger girl."

"But that's impossible, she's a little miss Know-it-all with her books and everything…" protested Draco.

"Then you'll have to study a bit harder! No son of mine will be defeated by a Mudblood!"

"Things are starting to get serious now," Dora exclaimed and let herself fall onto the couch. She had a weary look on her face. She and the other members of the Order were doing duty and Andromeda could tell it was getting to her. "I probably should not be telling you this, but Dumbledore reckons You-Know-Who will attempt to steal something from the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic. So we have to stand guard and it's just so tiring!"

"Why aren't Ministry workers guarding it then?"

"I am a Ministry worker Mum." Dora winked.

"You know what we mean. If you're standing guard because Dumbledore asked you to, then you're not acting on Ministry's orders. I take it that Cornelius still doesn't believe he's back then?" Ted asked.

Nymphadora shook her head.

"But then how do you guard the Ministry if Cornelius doesn't agree?" Andromeda raised an eyebrow.

"Don't ask, than I won't have to lie." She managed a smile at the disapproving look on her mother's face. "Oh, don't look like that. It's not as if we're plotting to overrule the Ministry or anything. "

"But still…"

"I doubt that the Minister would be pleased if he founds out we're inside the Ministry after closing hours, but Dumbledore knows what he's doing and Alastair agrees that it is of vital importance, so that's good enough for me."

"But if he founds out, you'll get fired!"

"Well, so be it. There are things more important than a job and if by breaking a few rules I can help stop You-Know-Who from gathering influence, then I'm more than willing to do so." She shrugged.

"You know what, I quite agree with you," Ted said. "He Who Must Not Be Named has to be stopped and we'd better do something than sit around denying his return, as seems to be the Ministry's approach."

Andromeda sighed. "You're right of course, both of you. I just wish there were less dangerous ways to do so."

"What's life without a little risks?" Dora grinned. "Besides, if You-Know-Who [i]does[/i] come back to full power, life is not exactly going to be danger-free either now is it?"

"No of course not."

Andromeda was thinking back on the conversation they had had a couple of days prior when a woman was brought into her ward at St Mungo's, who had without a doubt been attacked by some really dark and vicious magic; half of her left arm was gone and also a part of her face. She looked at the woman, nauseated by the sight of her.

"What happened?" she asked the man accompanying the woman, while she started conjuring potions and ointments to treat the raw wounds. The woman was screaming constantly, so Andromeda had to shout in order to make herself heard.

"I don't really know," the man stuttered. "One moment she is using her new hair comb, and the next thing I know she is screaming, her flesh literally melting away." He was ashen and she couldn't blame him. It was a horrible sight. "I tried to make it go away," he continued in a shaky voice, "but that only made it worse."

Andy closed her eyes for a second. [i]If only people would stop attempting to 'heal' their own injuries it would make her work a whole lot easier.[/i]

"Right. What spells did you use?" she asked businesslike. She took a purple potion and cautiously sprinkled a few drops of it on the woman's arm and face. The screaming eased a little and the man recounted some of the spells he had tried to heal his wife's wounds. Like Andromeda had expected, they were all your everyday type of spells intended to heal minor cuts and bruises, not by far potent enough the heal wounds this size. Furthermore, she suspected that the comb in question was bewitched in a way so that anyone who would try a regular spell to make the wounds go away would find them aggravating instead of lessening.

That in itself was worrying enough, but her potions and ointments also didn't quite work the way they were supposed to. She had to apply several ointments and potions at exactly the same time in order for the 'melting' of the skin to stop, and several more potions to make the wounds close again. The man was hovering over her, but she shooed him away. This was a very complicated case and she couldn't have someone blabbering at her every step of the way. When at last she managed to control the wounds enough to bandage them, sweat was prickling on her forehead. She wiped it off with her sleeve. The woman was in for a tough night, but she would make it through. Andy was exhausted but there was one more thing she needed to do. She went over to the hallway, where the man was nervously pacing up and down.

"She'll pull through," she said and the man relaxed a little.

"Are you sure she's going to make it?"

"Well, she's in for a tough night, but from the look of it, yes, she will make it," she said. "Now, I have to ask you sir, what did you do with the comb?"

"I've got it right here, in this basket. I didn't dare touch it, you know?"

She nodded and the man took out a tiny basket. Wrapped in clothes, something was pulsating Dark Magic. Quickly, she closed the lid of the basket again. That would be one for the Aurors.

"Do you know where she got it from?"

"It was a heirloom," he replied. "She'd gotten it from her late aunt." He shook his head, like he couldn't believe a thing like this could happen to them.

"Well, then I think either her aunt wasn't really fond of her or someone else wasn't really fond of her aunt," Andromeda said gravely. "Anyway, I'll make sure this reaches Auror office. They'll know what kind of spell was used and approximately when it was placed upon the comb and that should tell us a bit more."

Somewhat reluctant, the man handed the basket over. "Is that really necessary? I mean…"

"It's for your own good sir," she said sternly. She had seen this before; once activated, Dark objects could have a fatal attraction to a witch or wizard. "The Aurors will be able to tell whether or not Death Eaters had anything to do with it or that is was created before their time."

"Death Eaters? But why would Death Eaters want to be after my wife? And I thought they had all disappeared when You-Know-Who vanished?" He looked thoroughly confused.

Andromeda sighed. [i]Damn you, Cornelius Fudge,[/i] she thought.

Narcissa was gloating with pride: Lucius would be in charge of a 'special mission' the Dark Lord requested done. Bellatrix would have loved to volunteer for the task, a thing she had offered repeatedly over the last couple of weeks, but the Dark Lord didn't change his mind. "Lucius knows his ways around the Ministry," he had said. "So he'll be in charge. However, I want you there as well, for you're perhaps my most skilled duelist."

Seeing as they had to be working together, the Malfoys and Bellatrix had grudgingly come to some sort of truce and were no longer sending spells across the room. This was much to the relief of Narcissa, who had started fearing for her safety and for her furniture as well.

So when a couple of weeks later they prepared to leave, she hugged both of them, Lucius as well as Bellatrix. "Good luck," she said. "See you soon." She wasn't worried. Not like she had been the day the Dark Lord had returned. She knew both of them had the Dark Lord's approval and that the task was reasonably easy. Just get the Potter boy to get the prophecy the Dark Lord wanted and then take it from him. Surely twelve Death Eaters would have no problem fighting off an underage wizard. She secretly hoped he would be killed in the process, but the Dark Lord had specifically mentioned that the boy was not to be killed by anyone other than himself. She mildly wondered how they were going to get the boy inside the Ministry of Magic, but didn't really elaborate that thought. The Dark Lord was sure he would come, so he probably would.

Even though they behaved more or less civil towards each other now, Bellatrix still wasn't really inclined to take orders from Lucius. They had been standing guard at the Department of Mysteries for what seemed like ages already and she began to get bored. She wasn't one to just stand around waiting for things to happen, she was one for the action. However, their efforts seemed to be paying off when they heard faint voices coming nearer.

"He should be around here somewhere!" she heard the Potter boy shout and couldn't prevent herself from sniggering. [i]He was so stupid![/i] He had walked eyes wide open in the trap they had set, just as the Dark Lord had predicted he would. She didn't know whom he had brought with him. Their voices were too young to belong to members of the Order and she realized all of a sudden that he must have brought some classmates. She almost laughed now. [i]Like a couple of school kids would stand a change against twelve Death Eaters! Hilarious![/i]

"We're nearly there! This is row ninety-seven…"

Lucius gestured the Death Eaters to close in on the teens as they searched frantically for a man who had never been there in the first place. They circled them, as stealthy as they could. Soon, they had them surrounded and were closing in on them.

"Harry, I don't think Sirius is here…" they heard a girl say.

"I know he is, he must be!" That was the Potter boy again. Bella shook her head at so much foolishness. At least the girl that had spoken had some common sense.

"Hey Harry, you gotta see this," a boy's voice said. "It's got your name on it…"

The Death Eaters looked at one another. This was what they had come here for. They all waited until they heard a soft sound like something fragile was being lifted of a shelf.

Lucius stepped out of the shades. "Hand that to me Potter and no one'll get hurt," he said.

Of course, the boy refused. The other Death Eaters now stepped out of the shades as well. She hadn't counted them before, but there were six teenagers, so they had them outnumbered two to one.

"Where's Sirius?" the boy asked.

They started to laugh. "The Dark Lord always knows!" Bellatrix sniggered.

He asked again. "I know you've got him!"

"Little baby woke up al fwightened and fort what it dreamed was twoo," she mocked him. She saw she was making him nervous and laughed.

"You should learn the difference between dreams and reality Potter," Lucius said. "Now hand me the prophecy."

The teenagers raised their wands and Bellatrix laughed again. [i]They actually thought they would stand a chance![/i] Nobody moved and she had had enough of it. She tried to summon the prophecy but the boy blocked her spell. She raised her wand again but Lucius shouted at her not to. They had to prevent it from smashing. Reluctantly, she lowered her wand a bit and told the other Death Eaters to take the smallest girl and torture her. The Dark Lord would not be pleased if they screwed this up…

She saw the boy relax a little and tightened her grip on her wand once more.

"So, what is this prophecy actually? How come Voldemort wants it?"

Bellatrix let out an angry hiss. "You dare speak his name? You dare speak his name with your unworthy lips, you dare besmirch it with your half-blood's tongue?"

"You know, he's a half-blood too? His dad was a Muggle. But I guess he has been telling you he's a pureblood?"

She was now angrier than ever. [i]How dare he! The filthy little liar![/i] She fired a spell at him, but it was Lucius who blocked her this time. "Do not attack, we need the prophecy!"

"He dares… he dares…" she shrieked.

"WAIT UNTIL WE'VE GOT THE PROPHECY!"

The boy asked about the prophecy and Lucius gladly informed him what it was about. He took a step forward and then a lot of things happened at the same time. The children yelled 'REDUCTO' and all around them, prophecies were breaking. The sound of a thousand voices filled the room. The kids went running and soon they lost track of them. Lucius reorganized them and ordered them in different directions. He had her paired with Rodolphus, a thing she wasn't too pleased about. But she was determined to find the Potter boy and be the one who got hold of the prophecy. All around them, they could hear screams and spells, but no sign of the boy or his friends. Then, as she opened a door, they suddenly stood face to face.

"HE'S HERE!" she yelled. "Get Potter, leave the others!"

She darted forward, running after him through another room. He entered the Room of the Dead and she saw him falling over. She laughed, as did some of the other Death Eaters. Her cries had lured them to this room too, so there were now ten of them surrounding him.

"Hand me the prophecy Potter," Bellatrix could see Lucius was starting to feel rather annoyed.

"Let the others go," he said.

Lucius merely grinned. "There's only one of you Potter and ten of us."

"He's still god be!"

Bellatrix turned her head and saw a plumb boy climbing down the stairs. He was limping a bit and appeared to have had a nosebleed. He was seized almost immediately and as he kicked and screamed, Lucius said his name was Longbottom. Bellatrix' face lightened. [i]Now, there was an opportunity if ever there was…[/i]

"Longbottom? I've had the pleasure of meeting your parents." She chuckled. "Let's see how long mister Longbottom here lasts before he cracks like his parents. Unless you give us the prophecy Potter."

"Don'd gib id do dem!" Longbottom screamed but she saw panic in his eyes.

She raised her wand and with a smile she uttered: "CRUCIO!" As was to be expected, the boy screamed from pain. After a second or two she released him and looked directly at Potter. "You have two choices: you either hand us the prophecy or you'll watch your friend die. The hard way."

A door burst open above them and in came five people, their wands raised. She recognized Moody and her cousin Sirius at once. She didn't know the other three, but she had a pretty sure feeling they were members of the Order. It was raining spells on them and they had to turn to fight them off.

Bellatrix was dueling the only witch that had come in. It seemed suitable: the only female Death Eater versus the only female member of the Order. The woman was still young, no competition for a skilled duelist such as herself. The woman reminded her vaguely of someone, but she didn't care. She fired a spell at her that hit her and the woman fell down. She laughed triumphantly. The next thing she knew, Sirius was running up at her, firing spells at her. He had a glow of hatred in his eyes and she knew this was going to be a more difficult fight. They were firing spells at each other without pausing and she focused only on her opponent. [i]How dare he duel her, he was eight younger than she was. Hell, she had babysit him when he was younger![/i] Their dueling was fierce.

Sirius mocked her. "Come on, I know you can do better than this!"

She seized this moment of inattentiveness and fired one of the Dark spells taught to her by the Dark Lord himself. It hit him straight in the chest and he toppled over. He fell through the veil of the archway on the dais and she knew he was done with. "Ha!" she screamed.

A black wizard attempted to attack her, but he was no match for her. She saw Dumbledore aiming a spell at her and deflected it. [i]Dumbledore? When had he got in?[/i] She knew a lost cause when she saw one and however impossible it was, Dumbledore was rounding up Death Eaters like they were toddlers. She took a run for it and dived out of the room. [i]Someone had to tell the Dark Lord…[/i] The Potter boy followed her, the fool. She took a lift to the Atrium, knowing it to be impossible to Disapparate inside the Department of Mysteries. The boy was still following her and she turned. She might as well get the prophecy before leaving.

"Come out, come out, little Harry!" she taunted. "Or didn't you come after me to avenge my [i]dear[/i] cousin? Did you [i]love[/i] him, little baby Potter?"

He had the audacity to yell "CRUCIO!" and for a moment she screamed. Then she started to laugh. "You have to mean it Potter! You have to really want to cause pain, to enjoy it. I'll show you how it's done, shall I? Give you a lesson…"

Her Crucio didn't hit and she yelled at him. "I am his most loyal servant! I learned the Dark Arts from Him! Did you really think you'd stand a chance against me? I know spells you've never heard off!" She fired another spell at him. "You have one last chance. Give me the prophecy and I may spare you your life!"

"Kill me then!" he yelled. "It's gone. And he knows it!"

[i]No, it couldn't be…[/i] "LIAR! GIVE IT TO ME!" she screamed. She was angry, but also afraid. [i]The prophecy couldn't be gone, the Dark Lord would be furious…[/i] Just as she thought this, He appeared in the hallway. "MASTER, I TRIED, I TRIED… DO NOT PUNISH ME!" she shrieked, petrified. He was looking at her like she was some kind of rodent.

"No Bella, he's not lying unfortunately."

She tried to apologize again but he cut her short. "I shall deal with you later Bella."

Dumbledore appeared too and he and the Dark Lord got into a fierce duel, even fiercer than her own duel with Sirius had been. She was pinned to the ground by a statue and then the Dark Lord was gone… "MASTER!" she yelled in terror. Then she heard her master's voice coming out of the boy's mouth, tempting Dumbledore to kill him… The moment was gone in an instant and in a burst of light He reappeared. He made to leave. He looked at her. Bellatrix could see the hesitation in his eyes and felt a pang as she realized He was going to leave her behind. Then, to her surprise, he grabbed her wrist and they Disapparated.


	18. Coping

_A/N: So, another chapter up. We're really nearing the end now and I kind of feel sorry to have to let 'my' characters go soon. (And when I say 'my' we all know I mean my version of JKR's characters, right? If not, let me spell it out once more: I'm not JKR. Alas.) But don't worry: it ain't over 'till it's over so more chapters are on their way! _

_The 'i's between brackets are there to indicate italics. They work as italics for me but apparently they don't transform into italics for everyone. I'll look into that. _

_For now, enjoy!_

* * *

18. COPING

They arrived in a darkened Mansion and He turned to her. "Now, explain to me Bella. How come you couldn't even complete this simple task?" his voice was menacingly calm and she knew he was furious at her.

"My Lord, I tried to get hold of the prophecy," she said, "If only Lucius…"

"Lucius will be dealt with later," he said coldly. "I'm asking you now."

"My Lord, I killed Sirius Black!" she whispered, terrified.

"So, you killed off a relative but you failed to get me my prophecy? I'm not pleased with you Bella, not pleased at all…" He aimed his wand at her and she felt the prickling sensation she had come to recognize as a 'neurintio' spell creep up on her. She knew what was coming and had her wards up without even realizing it.

"Oh no, Bella, you're not getting away that easily. Put them down."

She hesitated, which only infuriated him more. "Put them down Bella. Don't make me force you…"

Shivering in anticipation of what was about to come, she lowered her wards and immediately felt the roaring pain of a 'crucio'. She screamed in agony as the Dark Lord elongated his torture curse. He let her catch her breath for a second before hitting her with another spell. Pain cut through her like a knife and she was fighting hard to resist the urge to take her wand.

"That's right Bella, don't be foolish. You wouldn't stand a chance," he roared. "You'll undergo my wrath and you'll suffer for letting me down!" Another curse hit her and she felt as though her head split in two. She felt blood trickling across her face and as a second 'crucio' hit her, she screeched. She had never felt a worse pain in her life. "My Lord," she gasped. "My Lord, please… I never let you down… I…. Aaaaaaah!" She screamed again. It was starting to get too much and she felt herself slipping away, losing consciousness. All of a sudden, the curses were lifted and she lay on the floor, panting heavily. She took deep gasps in order to regain her breath. She looked up at him, tears in her eyes from the pain. "Master…" she whispered barely audible.

He returned her look with an ice-cold glare of his own. "Let this be a warning. You've disappointed me Bella and I'm not one to forget easily." He disappeared out of the room, leaving her shattered on the floor. She didn't move. Her muscles didn't do what she wanted them to do, her nerves being numbed by the aftereffects of the persistent 'neurintio' spell. She closed her eyes. She just couldn't believe she was still alive.

* * *

Narcissa didn't know what woke her up. She lay in bed, unfocused. Judging by the light that peeped through the curtains, it was about dawn. So Lucius would be back by now. She turned to her left, where Lucius slept, but the bed beside her was empty. She frowned. _Surely it wouldn't take that long to get the prophecy? But perhaps the Potter boy had taken his time showing up. Yes, that must be why Lucius wasn't back yet._ A loud noise, coming from downstairs, fully woke her. Alerted and no longer drowsy, she sat up and grabbed her wand.

"Who's there?" she yelled. "Lucius, is that you?"

No one answered. She jumped out of bed, put on her bathrobe and began descending the stairs, her wand held tightly in her hand. A man was standing in the hallway. When he turned to face her, she recognized Alastor Moody. There was a young witch standing next to him, looking angry. "Where is she? If I find her I'll kill her!"

"Easy now. I know you're mad over Sirius, but she's not here," Moody said. Narcissa didn't have the faintest idea what they were talking about, but she knew that she didn't like strangers in her house at night.

"What are you doing in my house?" she asked angrily. "How dare you…"

"I'd mind my tone if I were you, Mrs. Malfoy," he replied coldly. "Now, if you would be so kind as to lower you wand, I wouldn't want to have to jinx you."

"Jinx me?" She flared her nostrils. "The audacity! In my very own house! Now get out! Wait 'till Lucius hears about this, he'll make sure to tell Cornelius about your indecent behavior!"

"Oh, you won't be seeing your husband for a while Mrs. Malfoy," he said grimly. "And I doubt Cornelius will want to listen to a Death Eater."

"So the rumors were true then Cissy." A second wizard stepped forward, an accusing look on his face.

"Ricardo!" she said, relaxing a little at the sight of her Hogwarts friend. "Could you tell me what all this nonsense is about?"

Her ignored her remark and stared at her. "I never believed it, you know. There were rumors, but I kept attending your parties because I was sure they had it all wrong. The Weasleys stopped coming, as did others such as Amelia Bones. But I was sure there had been some mistake. Surely Cissy, the girl I've known since first grade, couldn't be married to a Death Eater?" He paused a moment. "Of course, your sister is one, so it kind of makes sense, doesn't it, for you to have married one? Or are you one yourself? Show me your arm!"

"Vitel, leave your personal grudges with Mrs. Malfoy for what they are. She's not marked," Moody said calmly. He was looking at her intensely and she had the feeling that he had used his magical eye to look through the fabric of her bathrobe. Suddenly, she felt very naked and vulnerable. She crossed her arms as if to shield herself.

"You still haven't told me what you're doing in my house in the middle of the night!" She managed a rather haughtily voice, though her heart was racing. _Surely they couldn't mean what she thought they meant…_

"We're here to search the house," Ricardo said grimly, taking a step away from her.

"Now wait a minute…" she began.

"Fudge's orders," Moody interrupted. "Got the warrant right here, see?" He waved a paper in front of her and she recognized the Ministry's seal.

"And why I might ask…."

"We caught your husband and his friends red handed," he said abruptly. "So don't play games with me Mrs. Malfoy, I'm not in the mood." He turned to Ricardo and the young witch and said: "Tonks, Vitel, go upstairs and look everywhere; cupboards, closets, cabinets, closed off rooms…. If you find anything suspicious, just give me a call. I'll be down here with Mrs. Malfoy as she opens the family safes."

She opened her mouth to tell him she would do no such thing, but then Moody's words finally made contact inside her brain. _Caught red handed…_ She felt her legs tremble and steadied herself against the wall. _That meant Lucius probably had been sent to Azkaban._ Her heart cringed at the thought of it. _And he had mentioned others too. Were they all caught? How was that even possible, were they ambushed?_

"If you would be so kind as to lead the way, Mrs. Malfoy?" Moody's voice broke her thoughts. "I could of course also magically force them open, but I figured it more… polite… to have you open them yourself."

The snide remark didn't go lost on Narcissa. But she had to be strong, had to show him no Malfoy was easily intimidated. For Lucius. She took a deep breath and raised herself to her full height. "Very well then," she said haughtily. "If you will follow me."

The next hours were the most embarrassing Narcissa had ever experienced. The three Aurors raided her house, turning every drawer, every shelf upside down. Things were thrown aside and she heard a sound as from scattering glass and breaking china. Moody had her open the small family safes in the study and taking out everything in them; jewelry, rare books, a parchment with the details of Draco's trust fund… Of course, the really important and expensive stuff was in their Gringott's vault, the safes mostly contained stuff of personal importance.

When at last Moody seemed satisfied, he called upon his coworkers. They were carrying small bags filled with artifacts. Some of them she barely even remembered having, others she recognized immediately, like the pocket watch that had once belonged to Lucius' great-grandfather.

"Vitel, can you take this to the Auror office?"

Ricardo nodded. He reached for the bag the witch was holding. She frowned. "What am I supposed to do then?"

"Go home, Tonks."

She made to protest, but he interrupted her. "Go home and tell your mother… about Sirius… Better she hears it from you than from anyone else. Go home and mourn your cousin." Moody's voice sounded old, broken.

She nodded. "I'll do that. Thanks." She Disapparated. Moody followed her almost immediately. Ricardo looked at Narcissa once more and spat on the floor before her, before he too Disapparated. Narcissa was shocked at his gesture.

"Well, that's how it's going to be from now on, right?" she reminded herself bitterly. "A social outcast with a husband in prison."

She sat down on the stairs and allowed herself, for the first time that night, to cry as she thought about Lucius being incarcerated.

She couldn't get anything done that day. She just dwelled through the Manor, which seemed so very empty without Lucius. She picked up things and put them back down without actually realizing what she was doing. It took her till evening before her sense of dignity took over. Lucius may have been taken prisoner, but she would not let her husband down. With a determined look on her face, she began tidying up the house. She would be strong. For Draco.

* * *

It was nearing noon when Nymphadora eventually came home. Andromeda, who had been worried for her daughter in fear that something might have happened to her, was shocked at the way she looked. She was paler than a ghost, her eyes red, her hair not her usual bubblegum pink but a messy brown. There were cuts and bruises all over her face and her robe raffled.

"Darling! Come in! What happened?" she asked and as soon as Dora sank down on a chair, she began fretting over her.

"Ran into your sister, that's what happened," Dora replied darkly "She's every bit as twisted as you told me."

"_Bellatrix_ did this to you?" Andromeda said horrified.

"Well, I got lucky though. Had she realized I was family, she might have killed me too."

Andromeda looked at her daughter, not understanding what she was saying.

"Mum, I'm sorry. There was nothing any of us could do. Sirius…" she nearly choked on the tears she was now finally letting go. "She killed him."

"What? But that's not possible! Sirius was not to leave the house! How could he have been killed if he stayed inside the house?" She tried hard to ignore the other part of Dora's story, about Bellatrix being the one who had killed him…

"You know Sirius. He's not one to sit at home while others risks their lives." She tried to laugh through her tears but failed miserably.

"It was a trap Mum. They lured Harry to the Ministry. We don't know how they got in, but Emerald, who was standing guard this night, was found petrified. They probably attacked her from the back. When Severus came rushing in, Sirius jumped up and yelled that we better not dare try to stop him from going along to save his godson. You know how he gets." She sniffed. "When we got there, they had Harry surrounded, and Neville too. She was torturing him. Neville that is. I dueled her first, but she got me with a stunner."

Nymphadora paused for a moment. She was embarrassed to tell that she had been no match for her dark aunt. "Obviously, I don't know exactly what happened next, but I caught glimpses and Romeo filled me in afterwards. Sirius took over from me and they dueled fiercely."

She talked on, but Andromeda didn't hear what she was saying anymore. She just sat there staring blankly into nothingness as her daughter told her that her favorite cousin had died by the hands of her sister. It was too much to behold. She didn't notice it when Nymphadora stopped talking, so for a minute or so there was an awkward silence. Finally, Dora took her mother's hand, waking her up from her thoughts. "Mum, I know he was your favorite cousin. I'm sorry. I liked him too." After a little hesitation she added: "And I'm sorry it was Bellatrix killing him. I can't imagine how you must be feeling right now."

"I never thought she… and now he's…"

"I know Mum, I know."

They just sat and hugged, wrapped in silent grief.

* * *

When Bellatrix came round the next day, little remained visible of the Auror raid. Narcissa had managed to regain some of her composure. Bellatrix however, looked like a mess. Narcissa had not expected this visit. She had expected every one of them to be incarcerated in Azkaban, again in Bellatrix' case. So she frowned at the sight of Bellatrix appearing on her doorstep, even more at the state she was in.

"Can I come in?" Bellatrix asked at last when the silence was building. Narcissa reluctantly stepped aside.

"So? What happened?" she asked as Bellatrix strolled into her living room. "Is Lucius going to be home soon too?" her face lightened.

"No of course not. He's in Azkaban. Oh, don't pull that face. He's only been in there for two days. I've been in there for thirteen years and you never bothered to care about that." Her voice was hard and bitter and Narcissa unwillingly flinched.

"That's not true…" she began.

"Don't lie to me Narcissa. I can see it in your eyes. You should learn to shield your mind better."

Again, there was an awkward silence. Then Bellatrix starting telling how the mission had been a complete failure from the start. How Lucius had failed to do as the Dark Lord had instructed him and how he had lost them the prophecy. Narcissa felt anger build up inside her. Bellatrix made it sound like it had all been Lucius' fault. But there had been twelve of them, including Bellatrix herself, so surely the blame wasn't all on Lucius. She said so and her eyes flamed as she did.

"Haven't you learned, Cissy? The blame always falls on the one in charge," Bellatrix grinned devilishly. "Sure, all of us will receive punishment, but I think it might take some time before you see Lucius again."

"What about you then? Why aren't you in Azkaban like the rest of them? Did you flee?"

* * *

Bellatrix bit her lip but didn't answer the question straight away. Her mind wandered off to the previous day. _He had looked straight past her, eyes blazing with hatred. Her life would be over there and then, she just knew it. She could face Azkaban again, if He demanded that of her. She had done it before and she could do it again. But if He just left her, it meant that her life had no greater value to Him than that of any lesser Death Eater. She noticed the hesitation and flinched. But He _had_ taken her along after all, hadn't He? That was all that mattered. Not the disappointment, not the hesitation. Not even the torture she'd had to endure afterwards and of which she still bore the traces. What mattered was that she still was His lieutenant, that He still thought her worthy enough to take her along instead of just leaving her behind._

"Of course not," she replied at last. "The Dark Lord showed me mercy and thought my life valuable enough to save."

* * *

But Narcissa knew. She might not be as skilled in Legilimency as Bellatrix or the Dark Lord, but she knew her fair share and she definitely wasn't the only one who needed a reminder to shield their mind better. It suddenly dawned on her that Bellatrix wasn't just a fanatic devotee to the Dark Lord's cause. He was Bella's Lucius, her everything; the person she wanted to be with even if that meant getting hurt along the way. She knew it couldn't be reciprocal and she wasn't even sure if Bella herself acknowledged these feelings. But to Narcissa, it was all very clear now. For the first time she found herself thinking if the Dark Lord hadn't taken anything else from Bella beside her cheerful youth. Or perhaps he didn't need to and had Bella offered herself? She shook her head.

"Oh Bella, what kind of a mess have you gotten yourself into," she sighed.

When Draco returned home for the holidays, Narcissa went to pick him up at the station. She didn't want him to suffer the nasty glares and snide remarks from the wizarding community all by him self. It was harder than she had imagined it to be. People were staring, whispering, pointing, and heading their children out of her way. She swallowed and straightened her back, pretending she didn't notice nor cared but every remark hurt. She hugged Draco when he came off the train and then scooped him off to the Manor. He looked horrible, like he had been subject to some spell or the other.

"It was Potter and his friends," he murmured angrily. "They attacked me from behind."

Narcissa clacked her tongue angrily at the cowardice of it. She was sure that if they had confronted Draco in a duel, they would not have stood a change.

While they were talking, she tried to make his face turn back to normal again, but healing spells had never been her strongest point. She could do them of course, but not to the extend Andy could. Andy had always been phenomenal with healing spells. _If only I were a bit more like Andy…_ she thought. But she quickly dispersed the thought about her sister. If she were like Andy, she would not have married Lucius. She would have married a Mudblood. If she were like Andy, she would not have had Draco. She would have had…

"Oh Merlin!" she said in a shock. Draco looked at her quizzically for she had spoken out loud, but she didn't notice. She had just realized something. Realized why the young witch that had been raiding her house a couple of weeks ago had looked so familiar. Recalled the words Moody had spoken to her, the name he had called her by. 'Go mourn your cousin, Tonks.' It all made sense now. _The young witch had been Andromeda's daughter!_

"Mother? What's wrong?"

Draco's question drew her back from her reminiscing and she shook her head. "It's nothing dear. Nothing you should worry about."

"Are you okay now that Dad is," he hesitated but a fraction of a second, "in Azkaban?"

"I will be," she assured him. "Your father is a strong man. We have to show them we're strong too, it's what your father would want us to do. I do miss him terribly, yes, but I pull strength from the fact that we will soon be back together and that they will suffer the wrath of the Dark Lord. Really, I'm fine," she added when she saw the look on Draco's face.

"I will avenge him," he claimed pugnaciously.

"And how exactly are you planning to do that? You're not even seventeen!"

"I will be soon!"

"Don't do anything foolish Draco. I will not have it and I'm sure your father would agree with me."

"I will find a way," he said stubbornly.

She sighed. She knew there was no arguing with her son when he was in a mind like this. _Teenagers…_

Draco didn't have to wait long to get his chance at revenge. He had only been home a couple of days when the Dark Lord paid the Malfoys a visit. He summoned Narcissa, Draco, and Bellatrix (who had been staying overnight) into the living room. As he sat down on one of the big armchairs, Bellatrix placed herself on the ground at his feet. It sickened Narcissa to see her once proud sister crawl like a puppy. There was fear on Bella's face when she looked at him, and Narcissa rightly figured that the Dark Lord must have punished her severely despite what she had told her. She and Draco each took a seat. Narcissa's heart was pounding in her chest. Surely he had come to punish her and Draco because of Lucius' failed attempt to get the prophecy. However, he didn't address her, but her son.

"Draco, will you perform a task for me?" he said.

Draco's head rose. He too had been expecting punishment.

"Of course I will, my Lord. Anything you ask of me," he said eagerly.

"Be careful with your promises, young mister Malfoy."

"I don't care what it is. I'll do it."

Narcissa looked in horror, speechless by the boldness of her son.

"I want you to kill Albus Dumbledore."

There was a silence, which was only interrupted by Bellatrix' hysterical laughter. Draco flinched and Narcissa knew the Dark Lord was indeed punishing them, sending Draco on what would turn out to be a suicide mission.

"No," she managed. Bellatrix looked at her, shocked that she dared contradict the Dark Lord. Narcissa had regained her speech and continued: "He's only a boy. He's not a Death Eater."

"That can easily be arranged," was the smooth reply. "I feel there has to be at least one Malfoy in my ranks and he needs to be able to contact others if he were to succeed."

"No, I will not have him branded," Narcissa pursued, tears in her eyes. "Not my son too," she pleaded.

"Are you not on my side, Narcissa?" He raised an eyebrow. "You know what I do to unfaithful subjects?"

The threat was eminent but she pursued nonetheless. "Of course I am on your side," she said in a trembling voice. "But please, don't punish him…"

"Let's ask the boy himself if he reckons I'm punishing him, shall we?"

He turned to Draco, who, also slightly trembling and looking away from his mother, responded that it would be an honor.

"See? He has more backbone than you do. He knows what needs to be done."

"But he's only sixteen!" she was actually crying now. "I'll do anything. Just say what you want and I'll give it to you, anything." Tears were streaming down her face. Bellatrix looked at her disgusted, but she didn't care. She just wanted her son save. Draco looked embarrassed and the Dark Lord said "Enough Narcissa. You're embarrassing yourself and your husband. You haven't got anything to offer me that I can't also take by myself." His voice was like icicles. "Now give me your left arm boy."

Avoiding her look, Draco put out his left arm. He whimpered and screamed as the Dark Mark was branded into his skin and she wanted to intervene. Bellatrix shouted at her. "You should be pleased! You should be pleased that he is chosen for this task!"

She wanted to shout back at her, at the Dark Lord, but something in Draco's appearance silenced her. When the Dark Lord had finished branding him, Draco quickly disappeared from the room, still averting his mother's eyes.

"This is the last chance I'm offering the Malfoy family," the Dark Lord spoke threateningly. "You'd better sort out where your loyalties are Narcissa, or I might have to end up killing you." He Disapparated in a whish of black smoke, leaving behind a very disheveled Narcissa and an infuriated Bellatrix, who looked like she was ready to tear her sister apart.

* * *

_Well, what do you think? _


	19. Understanding

_**A/N: Thanks for the reviews so far! What happens in this chapter will have its influence on all three sisters, even though Andy doesn't figure in this one. **_

19. UNDERSTANDING

"One thing is certain, I will need to teach Draco Occlumency," Bellatrix said darkly. "And like I said before, you could do with some training yourself as well."

Narcissa narrowed her eyes. They had been to see Severus Snape about Draco's mission. Or rather, Narcissa had been to see him and Bellatrix had just followed her, trying to persuade her not to. Narcissa wanted some comforting from Severus, wanted his help to keep Draco safe. Bellatrix had come after her, because she didn't trust Severus. He had spent all this years under the influence of Dumbledore, not once trying to find his former master. There was just something not right about him.

But the encounter had been quite the surprise to Bellatrix. Not only had Severus stated that he knew about Draco's mission, but also that he suspected that the Dark Lord wanted him to finish it eventually if Draco failed. This had of course sent Narcissa crying again and Bellatrix had snapped at her sister's display of weakness. She knew he had been lying. But then Severus had done the unthinkable; Narcissa had asked him to take an Unbreakable Vow and he had complied. Bellatrix had acted as their Binder. After that, they had Disapparated back to the Manor, Narcissa a little more comforted.

"I told you, Severus will help him," Narcissa persisted when they were back in the Manor. Bellatrix could not believe how foolish she was.

"He doesn't know a thing," she spat. "He was trying Legimency on you Cissy! Right under my very nose, I could see him do it! You should be embarrassed of yourself."

"And you'd think I wouldn't recognize it if someone used Legimency on me?" Narcissa bit back. "You know, it's just wonderful to know you seem to think I'm some ignorant cow compared to the great Bellatrix Lestrange. I was top of my year in Charms and Ancient Runes, for crying out loud!"

Bellatrix grinned at Narcissa's angry face. Then she became serious again. She put her hand on her sister's arm.

"Cissy, you know I would do anything in my power to protect you," she said.

Narcissa snorted.

"I mean it," Bella ignored her, "but if you were to contradict the Dark Lord again, there's nothing even I can do for you." She shook her head, disbelievingly. "Running off to tell Severus about the Dark Lord's plans, after the Dark Lord himself told you not to speak with anyone about it… That sounds like betrayal. What on earth were you thinking?"

"I am protecting my family," Narcissa replied and her blue eyes shimmered fiercely.

"You should be proud that Draco got chosen for this mission," Bellatrix retorted. "It's such an honor!"

"No, it's not. It's punishment for Lucius' failing the Dark Lord. As much as I hate to admit it, Lucius failed to get the prophecy and I know the Dark Lord is really angry with him for it. I know that, and Draco knows that too, even if he pretends it isn't the case. He's not up for this, he's terrified." Narcissa turned to her sister. "Was it you Bella?" she asked all of a sudden.

"I'm sorry?" Bellatrix blinked, surprised by the question.

"It _was_ you, wasn't it? You told the Dark Lord Draco would make a fine minion now that Lucius was gone."

"You're giving me more credit than I deserve, dear sister," Bellatrix chuckled. "I know the Dark Lord values my opinion highly, but I'm pretty sure he is capable of thinking out such a thing for himself." She drenched her voice in sarcasm.

"He just doing it on purpose, hoping Draco should die in the process, as a punishment to Lucius. And to me. I couldn't bear it if he were to die, he's means the world to me."

"But think of what would happen if he were to succeed!" Bellatrix exclaimed, her eyes shimmering with what looked like pride. "The Malfoy family name would be restored and you would be rewarded beyond imagination. Lucius could be third in command and you would be society's most admired. Isn't that what you want?"

"He won't succeed, Bella, we both know that!" Narcissa yelled in frustration. "He's only sixteen, how is he to succeed where so many others have failed?"

"My, you certainly seem to be having a low esteem of your son's capabilities. And of your own upbringing by that matter," Bellatrix remarked. "Perhaps if you had raised him well, taught him how to be a fighter, instead of spoiling the hell out of him, you would have had more confidence in him. Because he has also one big advantage the others hadn't: He's a Hogwarts' student, so he'll have easy access to Dumbledore. And knowing Dumbledore, he will not be able to spot any harm in any of his students. Even if he is a little spoiled brat, I think he might succeed if he gets some proper training. I'll take that upon me and train him like he were my own. Now, if I had a son of my own, he certainly would have already been up for whatever task the Dark Lord gave him and I would most gladly let him have proven his worth!"

"Don't talk to me like _you_ know anything about raising a child! You never even bothered having one of your own."

Bellatrix felt all blood withdraw from her face at Narcissa's snide remark. She had no idea how much it hurt. But Narcissa was on fire now, channeling all her frustration and anger at her older sister. "I'm surprised the Dark Lord is okay with that, you and Rodolphus both come from ancient bloodlines. One might have expected him to encourage the both of you reproduce, seeing as you're both such faithful servants and any child of sure would be most welcome amidst his ranks. But then again, it might also be possible that the Dark Lord had not appreciated it if his_ favorite_ were to have carried another man's child…"

Bellatrix hand was on Narcissa's cheek without her realizing she had raised it. "How dare you…" she hissed. "I know what the others are saying, and I don't care about them because they know no better, but you, my own sister? How dare you insult me like that? And Him?"

Narcissa had clasped a hand over her mouth, apparently shocked at what she had said and of the fact that Bellatrix had slapped her in the face. A fiery red hand showed were Bellatrix had striked. _But she deserved it,_ Bellatrix thought, She couldn't believe Narcissa had insinuated that the Dark Lord took advantage of her in a very inappropriate way. She was shaking and her breathing was shallow from anger.

"Bella, I'm sorry, I didn't mean…" Narcissa began apologetically.

"Oh, but you did," Bellatrix snarled. "You meant every word of it, didn't you? You think I'm nothing but a whore to the Dark Lord. But as long you have your perfect little life, why care about other people's feelings, right?"

"My life is far from perfect at the moment! In case you failed to notice, my husband is in Azkaban and my son will most likely get killed."

"Oh yes, you're right. Your life is absolutely rotten at the moment and it must be terrible to be you right now. Boohoo."

"Well, excuse me for wanting to protect my family. It's a thing you will never understand."

"Be careful what you say there Cissy," Bellatrix replied menacingly. If there had been any affection in her voice earlier during their dispute, it was now completely gone.

"What would you know? You never had to sacrifice anything."

"Oh is that so?"

"Oh yeah, Azkaban, right? Well then, let me rephrase my statement: you never had to sacrifice _anyone_ or had everything you hold dear snatched from you."

"You know nothing about the things I have sacrificed Cissy," Bellatrix spoke darkly. She had jumped from her chair, clenching her fists in anger. There was something dangerous and threatening about her posture, but Cissy was oblivious to this and had leapt to her feet as well.

"Well then, by all means enlighten me," she snarled.

Both witches stared at each other, fuming and heavily breathing. It was uncertain which one of them would be the first to hex the other one.

"Trust me, you wouldn't want to know," Bella said through gritted teeth.

"Try me," Narcissa challenged her older sister.

"If you insist, but don't come crying afterwards!"

Without warning, Bellatrix attacked Narcissa's mental shield, tearing them apart and pushing images into her mind. She didn't hold anything behind, but just poured every emotion she had been hiding deep inside herself for years, everything she had forced herself to believe hadn't happened, into the mind of her younger sibling.

_How she had started training with Voldemort at the age of sixteen. How hexing Ted had frightened her all those years ago. How she and Rodolphus had practiced curses on each other and how she had been his superior before long. How the Dark Lord had praised her progress and how proud she had been. How lost she had felt when their parents letter had basically told her her independence was over and how she had felt obliged to do as her parents bided. How parents on both sides had scorned her for failing to reproduce. How she felt herself distancing from her sisters and how desperately she tried to regain that bond._

_How she had stood up against Rabastan when he had proclaimed the blood dept and how she had offered herself to him, so that that her sisters would be spared. How she had castrated him as a precaution and how he had taken abuse of her every way he wanted, raping her whenever he felt like it. How Rodolphus called her a whore and H_

_how she had cried herself to sleep almost every night but had endured, because at least it wasn't Cissy taking the beat. How the baby she had longed for had been aborted by her husband, all because of jealousy. How Voldemort had taken her along and how she had poured all her sorrow and grief into torturing that family, because then at least it would not [i]her[/i] pain she was experiencing. _

_How Andy's marriage to a Mudblood had felt like betrayal, like a slap in the face after all she had endured to keep her safe. How she had poured an even greater effort in becoming the Dark Lord's most trusted, because it was all she had left now that everything else she hold dear had fallen apart. How she had felt even more betrayed when she had found out that Rabastan had taken almost all her family fortunes, ruining her parents. How she had forced him to repay it, finally taking her revenge on how he had treated her during all those years. _

_How the Dark Lord had become her only anchor and how forlorn and desperate she had felt when she found out about his defeat. How she had tortured Frank and Alice Longbottom because the idea of losing her master was one she simply couldn't bare and also because she had hated them for playing happy family when she had lost everything, felt everything slipping through her fingers like quicksand. _

_How in Azkaban, Dementors had constantly made her relive her worst memories and how she had managed to at last make her mental shields so strong that she could withstand them. How she had drawn strength from the cries of the other prisoners. How hope that the Dark Lord would return was the only thing that prevented her from going totally insane. _

_How exhilarated she had been when He at last had freed her and how she enjoyed inflicting pain to others to momentarily forget her own pain. How she still hardly slept at night haunted by things to terrifying to speak about…_

Narcissa had staggered backwards at the ferocity of the images Bellatrix kept pouring into her mind. "Make it stop," she whispered, barely audible. Her eyes were wide open, tears streaming down her face. "Please Bella, make it stop."

The flood of images eventually came to a halt. Bellatrix stood panting, feeling tormented but empty inside, like all that was left her was some hallow shell, now that she had poured everything out into Narcissa's mind.

Narcissa took a step forward, stretching her arms as to put them around Bella, to console her. Bellatrix backed away. She had never wanted to tell Narcissa, or anyone else, for Narcissa's face told her things would never be the same again between them. Pity had forever changed the relationship they had had. She didn't want people to feel sorry for her, because their looks of pity would always remind her of what she tried so hard to hide. But now Narcissa, off all people, knew.

"I had no idea…"

"Well, now you do," she replied brusquely, attempting to put her mental shields back up but failing miserably. "I told you you shouldn't come crying afterwards. But you just had to know, hadn't you?" She was almost crying herself now but bit back her tears. After all she had shown Narcissa, that still was something she didn't want her to witness.

"Bella, I…" Narcissa made another attempt to come forward and hug her, but she didn't need her consolation. Didn't want it. Couldn't accept it. Not from her baby sister.

"Just sod off Cissy," she said, chokingly. "Forget I ever showed you this. I never want to hear about it again, do you understand that?"

Slowly, Narcissa nodded. Her sister looked forlorn and fragile at that moment, but Bellatrix barely noticed. She felt like a wreck and at the moment she had enough on her own feelings. She needed to get her mental shields back up before she could carry out the task she had been assigned. There was no way she would be able to do what she had to do in a state like this. "Just sod off Cissy, please," she pleaded, sounding defeated. With one last look on her sister, Cissy acknowledged her plea, retreating from the living room to allow Bella space and time to fight back her demons. Bella sank back into the cushions, her head in her hands. _How on earth had she let it come this far? How on earth had she let this happen? Why on earth had she poured all those emotions so well hidden for so long into Cissy's mind?_

_**A/N: I'm sorry it's a rather short chapter and sorry for Andy's absence in it. She will be in the next one, which will also be a lot longer. **_


	20. Protection

_A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update, I'm getting married in two weeks, so I'm kinda busy with the preparations. This chapter is the longest so far, to compensate for the rather short previous chapter._

_Warning: contrary to what you're used to, I've decided to follow the movie-adaption of the scene at the Astronomy Tower rather than the book-version, because with Bellatrix being one of the few who knew about the plan, I think it rather weird she was no part of the execution of it in the book. So shoot me ;-)_

_The Nudge Channel: you are absolutely right, that's exactly how I see Bellatrix. _

_You will see that in this chapter, Narcissa somewhat takes over her role of protector. Don't worry, there will be plenty of Andromeda as well. _

_For now: happy reading all!_

* * *

20. PROTECTION

Andromeda couldn't help noticing that Nymphadora looked rather gloomy lately. She had not noticed it at first, the death of Sirius and also that of her long time friend Amelia, had grieved her deeply. When she looked in a mirror, she could see how much she had aged. But then again, hadn't they all? With war upon them, people looked older than they had before, their faces lined with the deaths of dear ones or the fear for such a fate. The weather was sulky and the constant presence of Dementors created an eerie atmosphere, not only in the wizarding world, but also in the Muggle world. But it seemed as though besides the war, something else was troubling her daughter. However, every time Andromeda tried to talk to her about it, she just shrugged and told her it was nothing. It was frustrating, really.

It was at a meeting of the Order and associates that she got an idea as to what it was all about. Throughout the meeting, Nymphadora had been casting sideway glances at Remus Lupin, a fellow Ordermember and an old friend of Sirius, when she thought no one was looking. Andromeda remembered those glances. She'd seen Cissy send them to Lucius, back at Hogwarts and she imagined she herself must have sent them to Ted in those days when it seemed they could never be together. It was a look of longing, the look of an as of yet unanswered love. She had never really met Remus, so she studied him. His hollow eyes, his baggy clothes, the lines in his face…

"So, you and Remus then," she quasi-casual said the next evening.

Nymphadora's face turned scarlet. "I… I don't know what you're talking about," she said.

"Come on, darling. I'm not blind. I noticed how you look at him."

"Did you see that? Oh just great." She groaned. "Is it that obvious?"

"I doubt anyone noticed but me," Andromeda replied. "But… wouldn't it be better if you turned your attention elsewhere?" she added hesitatingly.

"Why?" said Nymphadora sharply. "Is he not good enough for you?"

"I'm sure he's a nice guy dear, but…"

"It's because he's got no money, is it?"

"If that was all… No, that's a thing that can be overcome. Look at your dad and me. We had no money when we got married, having eloped from Hogwarts when we had barely graduated. My family banned me and your father was still living with his parents. But we managed. So I would never judge someone on the sole fact that they're not so fortunate."

"What is it then?"

"Well," Andromeda hesitated again. "Isn't he a bit old for you? I mean, he's the same age as Sirius and Sirius is… was," she corrected herself, "only six years younger than I am."

"Let me guess, you also don't like the fact that he's a werewolf?" sneered Nymphadora.

"That's also not a point in his favor, I have to admit. I get it though; you're both in the Order so you spend a lot of time together. You're both grieving over Sirius, you lost your cousin, he lost a close friend, so it's only natural that you seek comfort from each other."

"So, you think that's all there is to it?"

"Isn't it?"

"Whatever it is, it's never gonna work, for he seems to be sharing your opinion," she said bitterly.

Andromeda raised an eyebrow quizzically.

"He says he's too old for me, he doesn't want to endanger me because of his 'condition' and he reckons he's got nothing to offer me. I told him I don't care but he won't hear of it."

"Well, maybe you should listen to him," Andromeda suggested.

"You know, you have no right to be so prejudiced. You married a Muggle even though you came from a pureblood family that hates Muggles. I should never have listened to Molly!"

"You talked to Molly about this?" Andromeda actually felt hurt that her daughter had chosen to confide in the red-haired matriarch rather than in her.

"Yeah, she reckoned I should tell you. I wish I hadn't listened to her. I already had a feeling you would not be very open-minded about it. Thanks ma for the support," Nymphadora sneered and left the kitchen, smacking the door on the way.

Andromeda closed her eyes and rubbed them. She hated being in an argument with Nymphadora and her daughter's remark about her being prejudiced had really stung. She never considered herself prejudiced and she told herself that it was only natural that she wasn't overly pleased with Nymphadora's choice; any mother would feel the same. _Molly apparently doesn't,_ a small voice inside her mind protested. _Yeah, well, it's easy for her to support Nymphadora, right? She's not her mother, I reckon she wouldn't be to pleased either if Ginny fell in love with a man fourteen years her senior_, she reasoned with herself.

* * *

Narcissa was worried for Draco. He had not yet accomplished his mission and the Dark Lord was getting impatient. She didn't want her son to become a murderer, but she knew that if he didn't kill Dumbledore, he'd be killed himself and she could not bear the thought of losing him.

"Draco, will it succeed?" she asked him one day.

"Of course it will. Why wouldn't it?"

"Well, your previous attempts have not really been a success. I'm worried about you."

"You don't have to," he reassured her. "Aunt Bellatrix has taught me and I know now what I've done wrong the previous times. I've fixed the cabinet so that should not pose a problem. When the occasion arises, I'll let the others know so they can gather at Borgin&Burke's."

In spite of his reassuring words, she could tell he was terrified. Terrified that he would not succeed and that something might happen to his father or to her. Terrified that he _would_ succeed and therefore would become a killer. There was no way out; either way, he'd lose. The only difference was whether he'd come out alive or dead, but Narcissa wondered if he would not go dead inside and become some hallow shell of himself, just like had happened to Bella.

"How are you going to do it?" she asked.

"The least you know about it, the better," he replied. "I'd hate you to think about me in a bad way."

"I will not think any less of you because of what you were forced to do," she said softly and placed a hand on his arm in a supportive gesture.

"Still, I don't want you to know," he said.

"I wish your father were here," Narcissa sighed, not for the first time since his imprisonment.

"We'll just have to deal with it, mother," he replied and put his hand on hers.

"I know." She nodded. "I'm just worried that Azkaban will change him, like it did…." She stopped mid-sentence. She had wanted to say 'like it did to Bella' but she had remembered just in time that Draco thought highly of his aunt, the renowned Death Eater, so instead she changed it to a rather weak "like it did to others."

There was a brief silence. Then she straightened her back. "You know, I see a lot of your father in you," she said and affectionately stroked a strand of hair out of his face. "Not only in looks, but you also have his determination and his pride. And this urge to protect me." She managed a smile and he smiled back, not entirely sure where the conversation was heading. "Don't make us loose you, okay?" she added in a soft whisper.

He nodded. "I won't," he said and squeezed her hand. "I'm not that easy to get rid off."

* * *

Bellatrix tapped her foot impatiently. Draco had promised he would contact her if everything was ready yet she had not heard from him. The school year was nearing its end and if Draco wouldn't succeed before then, it would not be as easy to confront Dumbledore. For the first time, she began to doubt her nephew. _Would he really be able to do it? _she wondered. _Or would he prove a coward, just like his father?_

She had almost given up on him went she felt a familiar burning. There were no other missions currently so she immediately knew it was Draco, signaling them at last that it was time. She cackled and then she disappeared in a whirl of thick black smoke. She reappeared just outside Borgin&Burkes and noticed that others had gathered there as well. She took a quick look around before entering the shop.

Borgin bowed nervously. "Madame Lestrange, your nephew told me I could be excepting you any time soon and here you are. Excellent, excellent. Now, as you may know…"

"Shut up," Bellatrix commanded haughtily. "Of course I know. I take it this is the cabinet in question?" When he nodded, she continued to the assembled Death Eaters and Fenrir Greyback: "I'll go first and I want you all to follow closely after. We'll arrive at the Room of Requirement. For those of you who do not know its location, it's situated on the seventh floor at Hogwarts." There were excited whispers, which she ignored. Unlike her, they were not filled in on the details of the plan. All they knew is that they were to follow her orders and now that they knew their destination, they could probably guess what it was about, but they had no certainty. It proved to her once again that the Dark Lord still valued her above others and that filled her with pride and satisfaction. She raised her voice a little. "From the Room of Requirement, we will reunite with my nephew. Do not destroy anything, or anyone, before the mission is accomplished. There will be plenty of time to do that afterwards." She knew they were curious to know what would happen but they just had to wait and see.

She opened the door of the cabinet. It looked like any other cabinet but she knew about its specialties. Confidently, she closed the door. Immediately, there was silence, like there were no Death Eaters outside the cabinet. When she opened the door again, she was standing in a room the size of a cathedral, filled with the remnants of stuff students had hid there in the course of ages. _So this was the Room of Requirement? _The other Death Eaters followed shortly after her, looking around in curiosity. Like her, they had never set foot in it when they were still students, not knowing of its existence.

Bella guided them towards the Astronomy Tower, where they would meet up with Draco. But they encountered some problems on the way. Problems in the form of a couple of teenagers and some members of the Order, who made it very hard for them to reach their goal. Eventually, they managed to shake them of and ran up the stairs of the Astronomy Tower.

Draco stood trembling, his wand raised at a weakened and wandless Dumbledore. Bellatrix cackled. "Well done Draco," she whispered as she moved behind him. "Now finish it."

Brother and sister Carrow looked eager and so did Rookwood. Greyback let out a low grumble. At that moment, there was a disturbance at the stairs and Severus Snape stormed in, wand raised. Draco still hadn't acted and Bellatrix hissed at him to finish the job. But to her disappointment, it looked like Draco lowered his wand a little.

"Let me do it," Amycus said.

Dumbledore looked at Severus and begged him please. Bellatrix laughed again. Severus didn't flinch and without any sign of regret he said the killing curse. There was a flash of green and Dumbledore fell of the edge of the tower, dead. Bellatrix' hysterical laughter of disbelief and victory soared through the sky and Severus took Draco and ushered him away.

The other Death Eaters followed his example. Downstairs, they encountered the Ordermembers again and Bellatrix aimed a killing curse at the same witch she had been dueling at the Ministry. It missed and she ran on, out of the large front doors. She never stopped laughing. _Dumbledore was dead!_ She'd love to see the look on those morons' faces but they had to go. _The Dark Lord would be so pleased._

* * *

The news of Dumbledore's death shocked the entire wizarding community. Andromeda knew the moment she heard of it, that they were in far bigger trouble than most of them realised. With Dumbledore dead, Voldemort would have very few problems taking over the wizarding world. She went to the funeral having disguised her features a bit. Bearing resemblance with a renowned Death Eater, she would probably attract a lot of attention and she didn't want that. All the attention should go to Dumbledore and to no-one else. She went with both Ted and Dora and she hugged Minerva when they saw her. She looked dreadful and Andromeda couldn't blame her. She had worked with Dumbledore for as long as she could remember, since before Andromeda herself went to Hogwarts, so she could only imagine what it most feel like to loose such a long time friend.

After a little hesitation, Dora went to sit with Remus. She glanced at her mother a couple rows behind her and that look told Andromeda she needed to have a talk with her daughter pretty soon if she didn't want to loose her.

"Our daughter's grown up now, right?" she sighed softly at Ted.

"It appears so," he smiled and squeezed her hand.

The ceremony was simple yet beautiful and when everyone had paid their final respects and people were one by one disappearing from the scene, Andromeda tugged Nymphadora's sleeve. "Walk with me, dear," she said. She nodded in the direction of the Black Lake and Nymphadora followed her, curious. They walked in silence for a while, then Andromeda started talking.

"About you and Remus…" she began.

"What about us, Mum? Haven't we already discussed this?" Nymphadora immediately went into defense mode.

"I know you're off age, so_ technically_ you don't need our consent."

"You're right, I don't."

"But I wanted you to know you have it."

She got a quizzical look from Nymphadora. "Have what?"

"Our consent. Remus may not be the man I would have picked for you and I still think he's a bit old, but if he really is who you wanna be with, we'll welcome him into the family."

"Well, thanks I guess," Nymphadora said a little flabbergasted. "Why the sudden change of heart?"

"Look, I've run off with your dad because my parents would never approve of him, or of us. And as much as I love your dad, not a day goes by that I don't regret that my family just couldn't be supportive." She placed a hand on Nymphadora's arm and her voice got a pleading note to it. "I've been that daughter, Dora, and I don't want to become that mother as well. I couldn't bear the thought of never seeing you again. So please, accept my apology."

They looked at each other and then, to her relief, Nymphadora smiled at her. "Of course I will mum." They hugged each other, then Nymphadora took a step back. "I'm so glad you're okay with it mum, I wouldn't want to prepare my wedding without you." She smiled sheepishly as Andromeda's eyes got bigger in surprise. "He's finally realised what I told him all year: we belong together. So, what do you think, a small summer wedding in the garden?"

Andromeda hugged her daughter again. "We'll see. Let him first come to dinner to properly introduce himself to us," she said with a twinkle. As they walked back towards the castle, arms linked, she was really glad she had decided to take action.

-o0o-

"Won't you just look at us," Andromeda said a couple of days later when Remus had indeed come over for dinner. "Hogwarts' founders would be proud of us." She forced a smile. She still wasn't happy with the situation, but she tried her best to be nice, for Dora. Remus looked a bit surprised, so she explained. "Hufflepuff," she pointed at Nymphadora, "Gryffindor," she nodded at him, "Ravenclaw," she pointed at Ted, "and Slytherin," she pointed at herself. "Oh don't give me that look Remus. You were too good of a friend of Sirius not to know that the rest of his family was a Slytherin."

"I did but you don't exactly seem Slytherin material," he replied truthfully. "Bellatrix I can understand and to some extend even Narcissa, but you… it just doesn't add up."

"I know the dislike Gryffindors take on Slytherins," she said, "but being a Slytherin doesn't necessarily mean you're a bad person or that you will be attracted to the Dark Arts. It just means you're ambitious to reach whatever goal you have in mind. But," she went on, "it may comfort you to know that the Hat hesitated between Slytherin and Hufflepuff. Just as it thought Cissy would also have done well in Ravenclaw. Bella nearly fainted when Cissy told her that, so just as well I never told her it hesitated with me as well." She chuckled. "'Blacks ought to be in Slytherin', she'd always used to say. And besides, she would really have hated it if we hadn't been in the same house, dozing by the fireplace like we used to do at home, eating Sugar Quills and Choco Frogs, criticizing the teachers that gave us too much homework..." She smiled, thinking back with fondness on those days. When they all stared at her, aghast, she brusquely said: "Well, she wasn't always evil, you know? But it's all in the past now, isn't it? I don't want anything to do with her anymore and that feeling is more than mutual."

She began cleaning up the dishes, clattering and making more noises than necessary. Nymphadora tried to say something, but Andromeda just caught the warning look Ted gave their daughter that made her stay silent. She hmpfed.

Remus looked a bit uncomfortable and in an impulse she said:

"Remus, come help me with the desserts, will you?"

"Euhm, me?" he asked.

"Yes you. Come along."

He exchanged quizzical glances with Nymphadora but stood up and followed her to the kitchen. "You wanted to speak to me I presume?"

"What are your intentions with Dora?" she asked bluntly. "Because if this is only a spur of the moment thing…"

"Is it that hard to believe that I actually love To… Nymphadora?"

"From what I've heard you weren't overly enthusiastic."

"You must also have heard my reasons for that then, I take it," he said, rather coldly.

"I have. Just checking." She grabbed his arm. "Promise me you'll take care of her, Remus," she said, suddenly serious again.

"Of course I will."

"And if you ever hurt her, in any way, I'll personally find you and make you die such an agonizing painful death that you wish you were never born, just be sure about that. She's all I've got."

"I promise you I will take care of her and that I'll never do anything to cause her harm," he reassured her.

"Good," she sighed.

-o0o-

The wedding was very small and simple, even simpler than Andromeda and Ted's had been. There was no time to make bigger arrangements and though Nymphadora and Ted had wanted to invite other members of the Order and their young friends Harry, Ron and Hermione, it was too dangerous to bring all these wizards into a Muggle town. Not to mention that Harry still bore the Mark and couldn't leave his aunt and uncle's house until his birthday. So it was just Nymphadora and Remus, Andromeda and Ted, Remus' parents John and Angela, and Arthur and Molly Weasley, who the couple both considered dear friends.

All three women shed a tear when the couple exchanged their vows and Angela sniffed: "Isn't it wonderful that even in a time like this, there is still something like love?"

When they arrived home after the wedding, there was a letter awaiting them. Despite the fact that the letter was addressed to Andromeda Tonks, she recognized the handwriting and tossed the envelope aside.

"Aren't you going to open it?" Ted asked astonished.

"No. Nothing in it could be worth wasting my time on. Not on this day, not on any day. I'll burn it later on," she said carelessly.

"Allow me, dear," he said and picked the letter up. "Just you focus on the wedding diner, I'll take care of it."

"Thank you," she said and went over to the kitchen.

She didn't see Ted turning the envelope around in his hands and after some thought putting it into his pocket.

* * *

Draco returned home paler than he had ever been. Severus brought him in, and they were closely followed by Bellatrix, the Carrows, Thorfinn Rowle, Rookwood and Fenrir Greyback. Narcissa rushed over to him and hold him close to her. She almost didn't dare ask the question that was at the tip of her tongue, but she whispered: "Did you…"

Draco slightly shook his head, trembling. She closed her eyes for a fraction of a second as despair went through her like a knife. _That was it. Draco had failed and they would all die…_

"Severus did," Amycus said, "Dumbledore's dead."

She closed her eyes again, this time in relief. The mission had been accomplished and Draco had not become a killer. She opened her eyes again and as she held her son, her eyes found Severus'. 'Thank you', she mimed, her eyes filled with gratitude. He nodded briefly, barely noticeable. Bellatrix looked a bit disappointed, probably because she would have wanted to be the one to kill Dumbledore and gain the infinite confidence of the Dark Lord.

Narcissa ushered Draco out of the hallway. "I'm so glad you're back," she said.

"I couldn't do it mum. I couldn't do it and he knew."

"Severus? I asked him to take an Unbreakable Vow to protect you and…"

"I know, but that's not what I meant. Dumbledore. He knew I came to kill him and he knew I had tried before."

She inhaled sharply. "Then what happened? Was that why you couldn't do it?"

"No." He shook his head again. "He offered me protection," he said with a voice that showed surprise and disbelief.

"He offered you protection?" she echoed.

He nodded. "And you and dad as well. He said the Order could hide us so the Dark Lord could not find us. I hesitated. I wanted to take his offer mom."

She looked at him. "And then?" she whispered.

"Then aunt Bellatrix and the others came in," he whispered too in a tight voice.

Narcissa closed her eyes. She couldn't help but feel a tad disappointed at this anticlimax. _Dumbledore was on the verge of being killed and still he had offered forgiveness and protection. What if Bellatrix hadn't rushed in? Would her family be together and safe now? Would they have gotten a second chance?_

"It's okay Draco. We'll manage. Every thing will be alright when your father gets home."

She wanted to believe that, wanted to believe that their lives would return back to normal, but she and Draco both knew things were not going to be the way they were before. They didn't even know if would ever see Lucius again.

However, with the death of Dumbledore, the Dark Lord had seized to operate in secrecy. He was back and so were his Death Eaters, and it didn't take long before those imprisoned were freed.

When Lucius came home, he looked terrible. His clothes were ragged and seemed about a size too big, for he had lost a lot of weight. There was a small beard on his chin and his eyes seemed hollow. When he saw her, he lowered his head, ashamed of himself. She walked over to him, tears in her eyes, lifted his chin and kissed him. Then she hugged him. "Thank Merlin you're back," she said. "I've missed you so much!"

"I've missed you too," he replied. "The thought of you and Draco was the only thing that kept me going. Where is Draco anyway?"

"He'll be down soon. But he's…" she hesitated.

"What? What's wrong Cissa?"

"When you were… captivated… the Dark Lord made Draco a Death Eater in your place and gave him the order to kill Dumbledore."

"I heard the old man died. So Draco killed him?"

She shook her head. "No. Severus did. Draco tried all year but couldn't do it in the end. He extended a hand to Draco, Lucius. Draco nearly killed him and he offered him the protection of the Order. Can you believe that?"

Lucius looked as disbelieving as she knew she must have looked when Draco told her and she wondered if he was asking himself the same questions she had posed herself.

At that moment, Draco came in and his eyes widened at the sight of his father. Father and son hugged each other in silence. Narcissa looked at them. Both her husband and her son had suffered very much and were but a glimpse of their former selves. She realised that if they ever were to survive this as a family, they needed someone strong and she made a decision. It would have to be her. After all this years of Lucius, and even Draco, protecting the family, it was now her turn. She straightened her back.

"Come, take a bath love, you look dreadful," she said to Lucius. "I'll fill the tub for you."

"You don't have to darling. One of the house elves can do that," he protested weakly.

"I know they can. But I _want_ to help you." She stroked a strand of hair out of her husband's face and Draco let out a sound of convulsion. She turned to him with a little smile. "Draco, be a dear and find yourself something to do for the next hour and a half or so, will you? Your father and I need to talk."

"Talk, yeah right," she heard him mutter when he turned and walked out. "Yuck."

Despite her good care, Lucius still wasn't totally himself. Perhaps this also had something to do with the fact that the Dark Lord may have given him his freedom but he had claimed their house as headquarters, so that they now had to share it with not only the Dark Lord himself, but also with all the Death Eaters. The meetings were held in their living room, where all the furniture had been carelessly shoved aside apart from a large square table and some chairs. The Dark Lord would always sit at the head of the table, usually flanked by Bellatrix or Severus. Even though Narcissa was not a Death Eater, she had to sit in on the meetings, much to her dislike. She had practiced her Occlumency and had found a way to block out all emotion behind her mind shields. She always sat beside Lucius and close to Draco, not saying a word but just being there, and her husband and son drew strength from her silent presence.

-o0o-

This time was no different than the other times, apart from the fact that there was now someone suspended in midair, tied by invisible ropes. Narcissa tried to ignore her presence, she sat stoic and stared at a point on the wall. Even when Bellatrix said it was an honor to have him in the family's house, she barely flinched. She was furious that Bellatrix was so patronizing in her own house, but she would deal with that later. It wasn't until the Dark Lord made a denigrating remark about their niece marrying a werewolf that there was a small rapture in Narcissa's mask.

"She's no niece of us, my Lord. Narcissa and I have not laid eyes upon our sister since she married the mudblood."

_Well, at least that's true,_ Narcissa thought in spite of herself, _letters are not the same as seeing someone_. She reprimanded herself. _Focus, Narcissa, focus._ Blank.

"If the tree is rotten, you'll have to cut out its rotten pieces," the Dark Lord said and Bellatrix was ever so quick with her reply. "Of course my Lord, I'll be more than happy to prune our family tree," she said eagerly.

_I might be needing to extend my protection. No, Narcissa, blank. _

She managed the rest of the meeting without losing her control anymore and when the Dark Lord said he needed another wand because there were some problems with his own, she had been expecting what would follow.

"Lucius, I see no reason why you should have a wand anymore," the Dark Lord spoke in his velvety voice.

"M-my Lord?"

"Your wand, Lucius."

It was the ultimate humiliation, because what was a wizard if he didn't have a wand? Nonetheless, she searched his hand under the table and placed hers reassuringly on top of it, squeezing it softly. Lucius nodded and with but a little hesitation, handed over his wand to the Dark Lord. She squeezed his hand again when the Dark Lord examined it and used it to kill off the woman dangling above the table. She averted her eyes. She never could get used to that curse.

When the meeting was over, she left Lucius and Draco behind and rushed after Bellatrix. There was some urgent matter she needed to discuss with her older sister.

"Bella, can I have a word? In private?" she added when Rodolphus had stopped walking too. She gave him an irritated look. _Who was he trying to fool with his 'concerned-husband-act'?_

"Of course sister. Rodolphus, be gone," Bellatrix bit at him. Narcissa hid a smile.

"Let's go into the salon," she said and went ahead. Bellatrix followed.

"What is it you wanted to speak to me about?" Bellatrix said.

"I want you to promise you'll not kill Andromeda," Narcissa replied in one breath.

"Excuse me? You want me to spare that bloodtraitor…" Bellatrix began menacingly.

Narcissa sighed. She had expected this reaction, so she had her answer ready.

"If she dies during the war, so be it. But it can't be you Bella." She shook her head. "Or have you forgotten about those ancient laws about killing siblings?"

"History of Magic was never my cup of tea, Cissy, that's more your territory, but I'm sure it's _fascinating_…"

"Those that kill, their soul will be damaged. Those that a kill a sibling, will have their souls shattered beyond repair," Narcissa quoted almost literally from her ancient History of Magic lessons.

"You know, you should spend less time with your nose in worthless books, and more time in the real world," Bellatrix sneered. "Anyway, there's nothing to worry about. There isn't much soul left to shatter." She grinned devilishly.

"I've seen you Bella. I know that's not true. You've showed me, remember?" Narcissa objected. "There is enough of your soul left not to do that. Please Bella, I'm begging you not to do that to yourself."

There was little silence, then Bellatrix shrugged. "Fine. Whatever. I'll not kill our _dear_ sister. Happy now?" She tossed her wand in the air and caught it again, carelessly.

Narcissa inhaled deeply. "Not yet. I also want you to promise not to give anyone the order to kill her.

Bellatrix narrowed her eyes.

"Promise me Bella." Narcissa knew she was pushing her luck, but she needed her to make that promise.

"You're really serious about this, aren't you?"

"Like I said before, if she gets killed during the war, so be it, but it can't be by your hand nor on your command. I don't want to loose you Bella," she added in a whisper.

A flicker of affection, then Bellatrix' eyes went dark again. "If it means that much to you: fine, I will not kill her and I will not give anyone the command to finish her off. I do hope she dies, though." With these bitter words, Bellatrix left the salon and Narcissa sighed.

"Well, considering Bella's temper, that went rather well," she muttered to herself.

* * *

_A/N: I'll try to finish the story before I go on honeymoon, but I'm not quite sure if I'll manage. Review and tell me what you think of this chapter!_


	21. Wartime

_A/N: I'm sorry to have deprived you an update for almost a month now. As I told you, in the mean time I'm married and have been on honeymoon, both of which were wonderful by the way. But I'm back and I've picked up on this story again. I promise the next update won't take that long._

* * *

21. WARTIME

A week after their wedding, Remus and Nymphadora were fetched by Alastor Moody. They were to collect Harry Potter at the house of his aunt and uncle. Alastor went through the entire plan again.

"Ted, Andromeda, your house is the most important so the protective spells will be strongest around your house. We will fetch Harry at dusk, so he and Hagrid should be arriving here around midnight on Sirius' old motorbike. Here's the Portkey," he handed Ted an old hairbrush, "it's set at one o'clock and will transport them to The Burrow, where we'll all gather. Do not contact Molly or Arthur or any of the others unless Harry and Hagrid are not back in time for their Portkey. The most important thing…"

"…is vigilance," Andromeda finished his sentence. "We know Alastor. We've been through this so many times already."

"It can never harm to repeat things once more."

They nodded. There was a brief awkward silence after Nymphadora and Remus had said goodbye. They all knew that the chances of one of them being killed during the mission were high. This could very well be the last time they ever saw each other. Alastor coughed. They really had to get going or they would mess up the entire plan. They hugged each other one last time and then Alastor, Remus and Nymphadora Disapparated.

"Oh, I do hope they will make it back safe," Andromeda sighed, staring at the point where they had vanished. "But Alastor said nothing would happen before midnight, so there's no point staring in the darkness for hours, right?" she tried to persuade herself. Nonetheless, she didn't move for another minute and then she slowly, reluctantly, started walking back towards the house.

Ted made her tea, but she was too nervous to drink it. She kept looking at the clock, as if that could make the time go faster.

"They're at headquarters now, probably going through the plan one more time with Alastor," she said. And an hour later: "They should be at Harry's aunt and uncle's now. He doesn't know about the plan, right? What if he doesn't want to go?" And another half hour later: "They should be on their way now. What if they're captured by Death Eaters?"

Ted sighed every time Andromeda made similar remarks, even though he was as worried as she was. The clock kept ticking away seconds while they sat in their living room, tense and jumpy by every sound. They were startled by a very loud bang just before midnight.

"Oh Merlin, something must be wrong!" Andromeda said and both she and Ted rushed to the door.

"Who is there? Is that Potter?" Ted yelled. "Are you Harry Potter?"

"By Merlin's beard, they have crashed into the garden, Ted!" Andromeda shouted, when by the light from the kitchen she could just make out a disheveled heap of metal and limbs. Someone tried to walk towards them but fell down again.

"Lumos!" Ted said and ran over to the pond, which was where they had landed – whoever 'they' might be. Andromeda followed his example. They soon recognised Hagrid, he was too big to be mistaken for anyone else. He was badly injured. So the dark haired boy that had fainted had to be Harry Potter. They transported both of them inside.

"Can you fix his arm and nose?" Andromeda asked Ted, "It'll take some time for me to fix Hagrid's injuries, some of them are pretty nasty."

"Sure. I've mended noses before," he said with a hint of a smile, "and I think I've fixed arms at least twice. With a clumsy daughter like ours."

They fell silent for a moment. Both were thinking about Nymphadora and Remus. They didn't dare speak their worst fears: that something might have happened to any of them. Or one of the others for that matter, half the Weasley family was involved and they also cared about Alastor.

Andromeda coughed. "Fine, then I'll go and fix Hagrid."

Hagrid chose that moment to awake with a loud grumble. "Harry?" he groaned. "Are you all right? Harry?"

"Hagrid?" Andromeda gently touched his arms and he jumped.

"Blimey 'Dromeda, yer scared me," he said. "Harry okay?"

"He will be Hagrid. He just fainted from exhaustion and he has some injuries that need tending. And so do you. Come, we'll go into the kitchen so Ted can tend to Harry here."

She looked around in the kitchen. Their chairs were not nearly strong enough to hold Hagrid's weight. "Uhm, just sit on the table then," she said.

Hagrid sat down on the table, which cracked dangerously but hold him. While Andromeda fussed over Hagrid and mended his broken wrist, she fired questions at him.

"What happened Hagrid? Was there something wrong with Sirius' bike?"

"Nah, bike's fine I guess. Had these extra buttons Arthur installed on them, did a good job on ter, blew them away with that fire. But when it backfired I tried ter mend it, should've let Harry do it, I was never got that spell right yer know?"

"Them?" Andromeda asked sharply. "Hagrid, what 'them'?" She suddenly had vivid image in her mind of Nymphadora blasted off her broom by a fire spouting motorbike and quickly pushed that thought away.

"Nah there was…"

"Death Eaters!" she heard Harry shouting in the living. She froze a moment but then she rushed into the living room, just in time to hear Harry continue: "They were everywhere, they were after us. It was an ambush, they knew about the plan."

She stopped death, her heart beating in her chest. _Death Eaters ambushed them?_ Her thoughts immediately went to Nymphadora.

Harry spotted her, standing in the doorway and his eyes grew big. "YOU!" he yelled and clenched his fists, rage building up inside him. Andromeda sighed. She got that reaction a lot since Bellatrix had escaped from Azkaban.

"If you could calm down please, that's my wife you're yelling at," Ted said calmly.

Harry looked startled. "Oh… of course … I'm sorry… I … uhm…"

She waved her hand at his apology and posed the question she didn't dare ask. "Nymphadora, is she alright?" her throat was tied.

"I don't know," he shook his head. "They were after us from the start, waiting for us. They seemed a bit startled though that there were so many people up and that there were seven of me. A few of them pursued me and then Voldemort joined in in the hunt…"

"Voldemort was up there?" she and Ted both inhaled sharply.

"Well, at least we know that the protective spells work. They can't approach this house within a few yards."

There was a brief silence when they thought about what might have happened if the spells hadn't worked.

"It's almost one, we'd better get going. They'll be worried over at the Burrow. Where's the Portkey?"

"Upstairs. I'll show you," Ted said without looking at Andromeda.

Harry and Hagrid followed him. Harry turned around. "I'll tell her to contact you as soon as I reach the Burrow, okay?"

Andromeda nodded, not thrusting her voice. She was worried sick over her daughter and when Harry and Hagrid had left she and Ted paced around the living room until they finally received word that both Nymphadora and Remus were alright. "Thank Merlin for that," they sighed. However, the news about Alastor's death grieved them. "Who would have guessed that Alastor, the undefeatable Alastor Moody, could fall?" They shook their heads in disbelief.

* * *

"Argh, we were _this _close!" Bellatrix ranted and threw her broom aside.

Narcissa, who had been dozing by the fire, woke up and raised an eyebrow. "I take it the ambush of Harry Potter didn't go well then?"

"Didn't go well? Ha!" Bellatrix sneered. "There were seven of him! They had been taking Polyjuice Potion! Not only Alastor was there, but Kingsley as well and that blood traitor of an Arthur Weasley. And that pink haired witch again, I swear, one day I _will _kill her. But he escaped at the last moment!"

"Wait, did you say a pink haired witch?" Narcissa interrupted her.

"Yes, she's an Auror I think. Nearly killed her at the Ministry and nearly killed her again today. Next time I meet her it'll be the end of her, I will not let her escape another time."

"She's Andromeda's daughter," Narcissa murmured without thinking. She had suddenly remembered her encounter with the witch.

"Andromeda's daughter?" Bellatrix narrowed her eyes. "The one that married the werewolf?"

They were both reminded of the hard time the Dark Lord had given them over that fact.

"She was with Moody when they raided the Manor. I remember him calling her by the name of that Mudblood father of hers and saying something about Sirius."

"Ha, all the more reasons to finish her off next time I catch her," Bellatrix snorted.

-o0o-

The Dark Lord was furious with Olivander. Apparently, using Lucius' wand hadn't made the difference Olivander had said it would.

"There were gold sparks coming out of his wand and it just snapped in two! You hear me? It snapped, whereas you said this couldn't happen!"

On overhearing the Dark Lord thundering in the cellar, Lucius turned white. Narcissa understood why: Lucius was now officially wandless, since a broken wand could not be returned and it was not likely the Dark Lord would allow for Olivander to craft a new wand for Lucius. If they hadn't been before, they were now officially pariahs.

"We'll manage," Narcissa reassured him. "It'll be hard now, but once the Dark Lord has gained control over the wizarding world, I'm sure he will reinstate you as a faithful follower and that he will allow you a new wand. Meanwhile, we'll just have to share mine, won't we?"

"You know, I'm not that sure anymore he will win. I thought that after Dumbledore died… but then the Potter boy escaped again, performing magic the Dark Lord never heard of. What do we do if he were to be defeated?"

"Ssssh, don't say that!" Narcissa said shocked and looked around to see if anyone had heard. "He's downstairs," she reminded him with a hiss.

"We're outcasts anyway," he said.

"I know. But I intend to get my entire family out alive, no matter the outcome," Narcissa retorted. "I have no want for a dead husband or a dead son, so please, mind what you're saying. Or thinking," she added, remembering the Dark Lord's skill at Legilimency. "We will accept his punishment obediently, even if that means not being able to perform magic. We Malfoys always had our dignity and I have no intention of throwing that away."

Lucius smiled weakly.

"What was so funny about that?" she asked.

"It's nothing dear," he answered. "It just struck me that you said 'we Malfoys'."

"Well, I am, ain't I? Ever since I married one."

"Of course. Though you still used to think of yourself as being a Black most of the time. But I'm really proud to have someone like you beside me as my wife."

-o0o-

It didn't take long for the Dark Lord temper to change to exhilaration: with the Imperiused Pius Thicknesse, they had managed to kill Rufus Scrimgeour and take over the Ministry. They were only one step away from total control and that step was called Harry Potter. If he were dead, nothing would stand in their way anymore.

"Arthur Weasley's son is married today," Yaxley yelled. "I bet you anything the Potter boy will be there. There were a lot of protective spells over their house, but now that we hold the Ministry, there's nothing they can do."

Bellatrix let out an exhilarating laugh. She was in her element; they could finally take out those annoying Order members!

"Kill as many as you can, but leave the boy to me," the Dark Lord spoke coldly.

Bellatrix stopped dead in her tracks. "You are not coming, My Lord?" she asked shocked.

"No Bella, I will not. For the past year, they have claimed that I'm back. Yet, no one has actually seen me apart from those Ordermembers, because I'm not stupid enough to show myself. Others may have doubts as to whether they are lying about me and think you lot," he nodded his head, "are acting on your own device."

"That's preposterous! I would never…" she began.

"Quiet Bella! It's what I _want_ them to think, for it is very convenient for us if the wizarding world isn't at its _qui vive_."

She shut her mouth, she knew better than to argue with the Dark Lord. "Of course My Lord." She bowed.

"Now be gone, all of you!" he thundered. "Or they'll all be gone by the time you arrive!"

One by one, they Death Eaters disappeared in a whirl of black smoke to The Burrow. There was chaos and apparently the people at the party had been warned. Spells were flying left and right but the boy they were searching for appeared not to be there. It was maddening really. They interrogated a lot of the partygoers, but none of them had seen Harry Potter. There was only one conclusion: Harry Potter had thought it too dangerous and had not been present at the wedding of his best friend's brother, however unlikely that sounded. But they would get their chance. They now controlled the Ministry, making it much easier to track the little brat.

One of the first laws that passed through was claiming the Dark Lord's name as Taboo. Knowing that only the members of the Order of the Phoenix were stupid enough to speak of him, it gave the Death Eaters and the Dark Lord himself a very simple method of tracking them down. The Taboo had not been instated for half an hour when they first noticed it worked perfectly. Someone had spoken the Dark Lord's name.

Much to Bellatrix' disappointment, Dolohov and Rookwood were appointed to follow the lead to a Muggle cafeteria in London. Bellatrix hoped it would be the Mudblood, or else one of the Weasleys. She hated them almost as much as she hated Harry Potter. She'd love to have them experience just what exactly her area of expertise was, preferable with Harry Potter watching, though the other way around was also perfectly fine. But they returned empty handed. The Dark Lord was out, so Bellatrix took it upon herself to question them. He would be pleased with her. Their eyes were glazed and she instantly recognized a memory modification. She had her own ways around that, having studied with the Dark Lord has taught her things others didn't think were possible. It took her some digging before she found what she had feared: they had met Potter, and the Weasley blood-traitor and the Mudblood, who had been the one to perform the modification. Despite her hatred for the Mudblood, Bellatrix reluctantly had to admit was impressed with her spellwork; it had been rather difficult to trace the memories hidden behind the charm, even for her.

She looked up at her Masster, who had just entered the room. "Master," she bowed deeply. "They have been modified, but they've let Potter and his friends escape."

"I see," the Dark Lord spoke in a cool voice.

Dolohov and Rookwod shivered. Like Bellatrix, they knew the Dark Lord's rage was at its worst when he appeared cool and composed. So when the Dark Lord told her to leave and fetch Draco, she scurried out of the room_. So, he wanted Draco to perform the punishment? My, Lucius most have really screwed up_, she grinned. She found her sister and nephew in the library, sitting silently side by side, both reading a book.

"Oh, Draco, the Dark Lord requires your presence in the salon," she lilted. Draco lifted his head, as did Narcissa. There was a shimmer of fear in their eyes and she chuckled.

"It appears Dolohov and Rookwood need a little reminder as to were their loyalties lie."

"And He wants Draco to do that?" Narcissa whispered in disbelief. Draco's face had gone pale.

"I'd say Lucius really messed up, sis" she grinned. "I'd hurry if I were you Draco, He doesn't like to be kept waiting."

Trembling, Draco got up from his chair. Narcissa placed her hand on arm. "Draco…" she said pleadingly. Draco shrugged her off. "I have to go Mother," he said brusquely.

Bellatrix chuckled as he scurried out of the library in much the same way she had scurried out of the salon earlier.

"You think this is fun, don't you?" Narcissa accused her older sister. "You think we got what we deserved when Lucius' wand was taken. You dwell on our humiliation." She spat the words at Bellatrix, her eyes ablaze.

"Oh, I wouldn't say I _dwelled_ on it, but I must admit I rather enjoy watching Lucius crumble. The guy has had his nose stuck in the air for too long already, it was about time he was smacked back into reality."

"That 'guy' you're speaking of is my husband," Narcissa said threateningly. "And I would advise you to turn it down a notch. After all, this is still _our_ Manor you're staying in."

Bellatrix let out snorting laughter. "Ha, or you'd do what? Throw me out? In case you've forgotten, my dear sister, what you and Lucius want doesn't matter anymore. The Dark Lord has made sure of that. And unlike _some,_ He still considers _me_ a valuable asset to the cause."

"I hate you."

"Fine, see if I care."

* * *

Things were definitely not looking good. Voldemort was growing stronger and stronger and with the Death Eaters having taken over control over the Ministry, one terrible law after the other was issued. When the new Muggleborn Registratrion system was put into place, Ted and Andromeda knew they couldn't ignore it anymore.

"I have to leave," Ted told her.

"Ted, no." There were tears in her eyes. "You can't leave me behind. I wouldn't know how to live without you."

"You would manage," he whispered. "You're a Pureblood, they wouldn't dare harm you. But as long as I'm with you, you're in danger."

"I don't care," she defied him. "Let them come. I'll make sure it'll be the last thing they do."

"But I care." He had spoken softly so she had a little difficulty hearing what he said. "I care. Don't you see, Dromeda? If I'm here, we could both die. If I leave, we might both have a chance of survival. And if I don't make it, at least I would know that you would be safe."

"Don't say things like that."

"You know they're true."

"And what about Dora? She's pregnant, we'll have a grandchild!"

"I'm sure she can give birth without me," he tried to reassure her. "She'll have you, and Remus. And I can rejoice over my grandchild when I'm back."

She noticed the tears in his eyes, which he tried to hide, for her. She hated him for leaving her, because she loved him. And she hated that he had no other choice, because he loved her too. She hated what this world had become.

"Please don't go."

"You know I have to."

She rested her forehead against his'. "Make love to me," she whispered. He nodded soundlessly, a tear trickling down his face as he kissed her softly on the lips, his own lips slowly tracing down to her neck. They made love like this was the last chance they would ever get, which was all in all a rather big probability. They came together this final time, in a bond that said so much more than words could ever express. In their lovemaking, they become one; one heart, one soul, one body, one mind, one single person. Whole.

"I love you," they whispered to each other when Ted took off in the middle of the night. With tears in her eyes, Andromeda watched her husband leave. "Please be back soon," she whispered into the darkness, even though she knew he could no longer hear her.


	22. Punishment

_A/N: Ouch, long time no update. I'm so sorry guys! I got married, found myself a new job and have been way to busy with challenges and competitions over at the HPFC. To compensate, it's a rather long chapter, which I hope you'll enjoy. We're nearing the end, alas. There will be some familiar things in this chapter, but I've tried to not transcribe them too literally. Thanks for all the reviews and favourites so far!_

* * *

While everyone was wondering where Harry Potter and his friends had gone – both on the light side and the dark side – the resistance against You-Know-Who grew. They had to keep it underground, because speaking out in the open would be suicide, but it was no longer just the Order of the Phoenix that was opposing him. Andromeda had opened up her house to a couple of Muggleborns seeking refuge, but they had left the day before yesterday. So now it was just her and Nymphadora. She still hadn't heard from Ted. She knew he wasn't owling her in order to not draw attention to himself or to her, but she was still anxious about his whereabouts. If only she knew that he was safe, she would be able to sleep again at night. People told her that if she heard nothing, it probably meant he was still alive and on the run and she wanted to believe that, needed to believe that. She had a hard time coping, but what made it even harder was having Dora around most of the time. She saw Ted in her daughter's face and every time she looked at her, a jolt of fright shot through her. For Ted, but also for her Dora, who was now in her fifth month of pregnancy. Remus had run, terrified that he might have passed on his lycanthropy to his unborn child, leaving Nymphadora practically inconsolable. The situation being as it was, Andromeda was desperately looking to find something to occupy her mind, so when the occasion arose to help out the resistance, she didn't hesitate.

-o0o-

When at some point during a Weasley family dinner she and Dora had been invited to, she had stated that she felt like she was not being of any use in the war, the twins had exchanged glances she had not quite understood. They had however approached her later that evening.

"Walk with us, Andromeda, if you please?" they asked quietly.

She had looked at them, not understanding what they could possibly wanted to talk to her about in private, but curiosity got the better of her and she stood up. They had taken her to the edge of the garden surrounding The Burrow and there they waited.

"What are we doing here?" she asked.

"Well, you expressed that you wanted to do something useful," Fred said.

"We discussed it and we think there is something you could help out with," George explained. "Just wait a bit, he should be here any moment."

She wanted to ask who the 'he' was they were talking about, when a pop announced someone Apparating nearby. She drew her wand without even blinking, but Fred placed his hand on her arm. "You don't need it," he said softly. "Provided he isn't followed."

"What is the very first item we tested on ourselves for the jokeshop?" Fred spoke.

"Nosebleed nougats," a deep voice responded from the dark. She had no time to think about this strange question and answer as a boy stepped forward from the shadows. At first, Andromeda barely registered him, but when he came into eyesight, she saw a black boy with thick black dreadlocks. He was all dressed in black, making it even harder to distinguish him in the darkness.

"Good to see you Lee," George said and they hugged each other comradely. He turned to Andromeda. "Andromeda, I'd like you to meet Lee Jordan. Lee, this is Andromeda Tonks."

Andromeda carefully stowed her wand and took Lee's outstretched hand. "Nice to meet you. Now, if anyone could just tell me what this is about…" she said.

"Lee here is the host of a radioprogramme called _Potterwatch_," Fred explained. "Basically, it tells the world the truth about Harry, the things the Wizarding Wireless Network isn't broadcasting. It's only accessible through a password; you won't be able to receive it without the password. Lee told us last week that the programme could do with some new input. And since you wanted to do something useful…"

"… we figured you might be just who we're looking for," George completed the sentence. "But you can't tell anyone. The more people who know about it, the more exposed we all are when one of us were to be captured. That includes Tonks."

Andromeda looked from the twins to Lee Jordan. "And what exactly is it I would be doing? Talking on the radio?" she asked. The idea interested her, but she couldn't really picture herself as a radio host.

"You can if you want to. We have guests all the time. But what we need the most right now is informants. People to gather the information we broadcast. It is rather difficult to stay up to date because people are scared. They are afraid to talk to known members of the Order because they fear for their lives and families if they are caught."

"But you are not that in the picture. People might be more willing to share information with you than with for example a Weasley," George said.

"We're not asking you to actively go around asking questions because that would blow up your cover," Lee took over again. "But just talk to the people. What is going on? Are there weird accidents? Which people are loyal to us? That's the kind of things we need to know."

All three of them looked expectantly up to her. She didn't need time to think. "If this is something I can do to help our cause, I'm in, definitely. But how will I contact you? I presume you're not broadcasting from a regular basis?"

"Nope, and we're not even broadcasting _on_ a regular basis," Fred joked.

"We've been talking things over…" George said.

"…and we decided to give you one of our Galleons for now," Fred finished.

Andromeda raised an eyebrow. "And how is a coin gonna get me in touch with you? Is it turned into a Portkey?"

"No, much better," Lee grinned. "Fred, give her your coin, so she can see."

Fred dug up a tattered looking Galleon and handed it over to Andromeda. It was too dark to see so she raised her wand and illuminated it with a Lumos-spell. It looked like any other ordinary Galleon.

"That's the best thing about them," George said. "They look like ordinary Galleons, but Hermione had them bewitched two years ago when we were forming the D.A., Dumbledore's Army, a group of students who stood up against the Ministry," he explained.

"I've heard about that," she said.

"How can you have heard of it?" Lee asked, surprised.

"Molly told me. Ow don't look so astonished, you two!" she laughed at the twins. "Four of her children partook as well as two of their friends she considered as close as her children as well. You really think she didn't know?"

"Yeah, I knew she knew, but I never figured she'd tell anyone. She was ever so mad that we'd broken the rules again and that we…uhm…" Fred fidgeted his cloak.

"Took off from Hogwarts without a proper diploma?" Andromeda finished.

"She told you about that too?" George gasped.

"She's proud of you."

"No way," the twins shook their heads. "You should have seen her, she was absolutely livid when she found out that we had left Hogwarts."

"Well yes, of course she was mad, she's your mother! If Dora had done that I would have grounded her for the rest of her life! And Merlin knows she would have been capable of doing such a thing." She shuddered. "Yes, she was mad at you at first but seeing how well you're doing for yourself, she is rather proud of you for having such good business sense."

"Pff, the hypocrite," George muttered. "Giving us a hard time whilst telling others she's proud of us."

"Don't let her know I told you though," Andromeda said quickly.

"Hey guys, I don't wanna interrupt, but I really have to get going," Lee cut in. "It was great seeing you guys again and it was nice meeting you Mrs. Tonks."

"Andromeda."

"Andromeda," he repeated obligingly. "We'll stay in touch." With a pop he Disapparated. They found out why he had disappeared so quickly when Molly voice called them from much too close a distance. "What are you doing there? Was that Lee I heard? You know how I feel about that joke-shops of yours, right?" she had come closer.

"We know," the twins said simultaneously and grinned.

"I will not have anything like that going on in my own backyard. Oh hi Andromeda." She looked a bit puzzled. "I didn't see you."

"Your sons were showing me around the premises," Andromeda smiled warmly at the Weasley matriarch. "Rest assured that we have not talked about their joke shop." She let the Galleon slip in the pocket of her robe. The twins would tell her how the use it at a later time.

"Hmpf," Molly snorted and eyed the twins suspiciously. It was clear that she didn't trust them, but Andromeda's presence seemed to calm her down a bit.

Thus she became involved in a radio-show that was called _Potterwatch_. It actually was great to be_ doing _something, instead of just awaiting what fate might have in store for you. She actually got herself a nickname to go with. She picked _Red_ as opposed to her maiden name and snickered at the irony of it all. Here she was, Andromeda Tonks née Black, participating in a radio programme that could get her killed. Who'd have thought it to be possible? She wondered what Ted would say if he knew and a sad smile crept across her face. She hoped he was safe.

-o0o-

She would soon find that he wasn't. One day, Remus stormed in, finding both Andromeda and a now very pregnant Dora.

"What's the rush, Remus?" Dora asked. She stroked her belly absentmindedly and Andromeda smiled. She recognized so much of herself in Dora.

"I'm so sorry," he panted. He had obviously run. "I only found out just yet."

"Found out what?" Her heart cringed together. _No, he couldn't possible mean…_

"Andy, I'm so sorry. Ted was killed last night when he tried to fight off a troop of Snatchers. I wanted to tell you two before you heard it on _Potterwatch_."

Andy grasped for the couch, desperate to sit down. All air seemed to have been slammed out of her.

"You're lying!" she yelled all of a sudden. "You're a liar! HE'S NOT DEAD, you're just making it up!"

"I wouldn't make up something like that Andy…"

"It's still a lie! It just can't be true!" She clenched her fists in anger.

"Mum…" Dora walked over to her and placed one of her hands upon her mother's fists. Her face was tearstained and the sight of that hit Andromeda hard. Ted was dead. Her sweet, wonderful, funny, loving Ted. Gone. Forever.

"Nooooo!" she screamed, in a scream that pierced Remus' and Dora's ears. She sank to the floor, eyes staring into nothingness, repeating all the while: "Not my Ted, not my Ted." She could not even cry. Crying made it real and it couldn't be real. It felt like her world had just ended, right there and then.

* * *

"I hate this," Narcissa whispered softly to Lucius. They were seated in the salon, because Bellatrix had taken over the living room. "It feels like it isn't even our home anymore. You know? It is still our house, but it is not our home."

Lucius shook his head. "It isn't," he replied. There were dark rings around his eyes and there were some streaks of grey in his hair and it was the first time that Narcissa really registered that Azkaban and the war had aged Lucius. She presumed she herself didn't look like she used to anymore too.

They spent most of the time together these days, at least when the Dark Lord wasn't around. They had a feeling that he could switch his attitude towards them on a whim and that every day could be their last. Draco was turning into a perfect, obedient Death Eater, but she could see the fear in his eyes when he thought no one was watching. She knew why he did it, but every time she looked at him her heart cringed. It shouldn't be like this. Parents should be there to protect their children, not the other way around. But they were in no position to do so and the roles had been reversed. She felt like they were letting him down.

A loud, ringing bell announced that there was someone at the gate, trying to get in.

"I'll get it," she told Lucius and practically jumped from her seat. She wanted to reach the front doors before Bellatrix' foul mood was made even worse by the alarms of the wards. She heard the booming voice of the device asking what the intruders' business was. Their response was as clear as if they were standing right next to her. _"We've captured Harry Potter."_ She raised an eyebrow. _How could a bunch of Snatchers have captured him where Death Eaters had failed?_ She put the wards down nonetheless, because if they really had… She took a minute to compose herself before she opened the front door. Apart from her husband, she wouldn't allow anyone to see the faltered stated she was in. She awaited the troop. They dragged along four or five youngsters and she scanned the prisoners for the messy black hair that belonged to Harry Potter. She didn't find it and she frowned. _They'd better have a good reason…_

"What is this?" she said.

"We're here to see He Who Must Not Be Named!" one of them replied. _The werewolf_. Narcissa wrinkled her nose in disgust. She would not have _him_ command her around.

"Who are you?" is what she stated.

"You know me! Fenrir Greyback."

She could hear the hint of resentment in his voice and her lips curled up the tiniest bit. _Good, let him know his place_. One of the others threw her the wand they had taken from the presumably Harry Potter. She raised an eyebrow. It didn't look like the description the Dark Lord had given of it. "Bring them in," she ordered.

Both she and Lucius examined the prisoners. Lucius was a little less composed. He let his excitement at the possible capture of Harry Potter take the better of him, but Narcissa looked at her son. If anyone could tell, it would be Draco… But apparently Draco wasn't too sure.

"If we are mistaken, if we summon him and it isn't…" she said, her voice hoarse. The werewolf drew her attention to the Mudblood and she narrowed her eyes. She recognised her. She had seen her in _Madame Malkin's_, with the Potter boy.

"And this is a Weasley!" Lucius cried triumphantly. He was right, the red hair was unmistakable.

* * *

Bellatrix stalked through the Malfoy living room, her face resembling a thunderous cloud. The Death Eaters still hadn't been able to capture the Potter boy and his friends, and somehow the Dark Lord blamed her for failing. She blamed herself for failing. She should be able to track down three teenagers! Those unfortunate enough to come across her on a day like this, still carried the scars of her torture.

The ringing of the wards irritated her, as did the voices that came up to her all of a sudden. She shook her head angrily. How dare they disturb her?! She got hold of a word, a name: Harry Potter. Her spirits lightened a bit. _Could it really be?_ If so, then she needed to make sure she was the one to alert the Dark Lord. He would reward her greatly if she brought Him the boy…

She opened the door to the salon like she owned the place. "What's this Cissy? What's going on?" she demanded. But before Narcissa had a change to answer, her breath hitched in her throat as she recognised one of the prisoners.

"But surely," she said, struggling to keep her voice even, "this is the Mudblood girl? This is Granger?"

Lucius confirmed her suspicions. "It's Potter! Potter and his friends, caught at last!"

He seemed pretty certain of his case and she rolled up her left sleeve at once. "If you're sure, we must inform the Dark Lord at once!"

Lucius grabbed her arm to stop her and Bellatrix narrowed her eyes. _The audacity…._ "Take your hands off me! It's not up to you to inform the Dark Lord," she spoke menacingly. "If anyone will report them, it'll be me."

Lucius didn't let go of her arm and she glared at him. _How dare he!_

The leading Snatcher, Scabior, coughed. "I hope you're not forgetting who actually brought them before you? It is us who shall be claiming the gold."

She clacked her tongue irritated. "Gold! Is that really all you idiots can think about?! You can keep your gold! All I want is His… His…" her voice faltered as her eyes fell onto the sword one of the Snatchers was holding. The sword that she knew ought to be in her vault. Panic spread through her. _If they had managed to steal the sword from her vault, who knew what else they had stolen. If they had taken the cup, the cup she had sworn to her master to keep safe... If they had taken the cup, it would be the end of her, she was absolutely certain of that._ Her breathing quickened and she had trouble focusing. _There would be no forgiveness if they had stolen the cup, His wrath would be like none before… _She barely registered Lucius loosening his grip on her, but when he pulled up the sleeve of his robe, some of her senses came back. They couldn't summon Him, not now. She needed to know for sure.

"STOP!" she shrieked, scaring even herself at the panic in her voice. "If the Dark Lord comes now, we shall all perish!"

Lucius froze and she stalked over to the Snatcher holding the sword. "Give it to me!"

He refused and she stunned him, taking the sword. The others let out roars of disapproval, but she didn't care. She took them all out, one by one.

"Draco, move this scum outside," she ordered. "If you don't have the guts to take them out, leave them for me."

Narcissa stepped forward in protest, but she cut her short. "You have no idea of the grave danger we're in, Cissy!"

She ordered Greyback to take the prisoners downstairs, but not before she cut the Mudblood loose with her silver knife. She would be the easiest to get to talk.

-o0o-

"What else did you take?!" she yelled as she used the knife to put pressure on the Granger girl. The girl screamed but she didn't care. One thought kept racing through her mind: _They can't have taken the cup, they can't have taken the cup! Master'll kill me!_

"We found it, I swear, PLEASE!" the Mudblood screamed, trying to wriggle out from under her knife.

Bellatrix put more pressure on her knife and cut her. Blood began to trickle when she cut her again. And again. She made sure to cut deep, so there always would be scars. "Tell the truth!" she yelled.

"I don't know what you mean." The girl was crying, big tears rolling down her cheeks.

_Such weakness. And such lies! The girl was tough, this called for more desperate measures._

"CRUCIO!"

The girl whimpered and writhed and her cries filled the room. Her body was convulsing, but that didn't stop Bellatrix from firing another crucio at her.

"Please, we haven't been in your vault! It's a copy!"

Bellatrix made a new cut. "Such a likely story!" she screeched.  
Lucius sent Draco down to fetch the goblin, whilst Bellatrix made cut after neat cut and the Mudblood screamed. When the goblin was pushed into the room, she let go off the Mudblood, who thumped on the floor. Her knife was at the goblin's skin in the blink of an eye.

"Is this the real sword?" she asked threateningly.

"No, it's a fake," the goblin replied.

_Thank Merlin, the cup was safe._ She slashed his face and took a step back. She caught eye of Narcissa, who had a look of revulsion on her face. _You'll never know the danger we were in_, she thought. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Lucius pulling up the sleeves of his robes but she quickly pulled up hers. Lucius was not going to get the credits. Not when she had done all the work to make sure they had stolen the object he had given to her to protect with her life. She pressed her right hand down on her left arm and felt the familiar sensation of blood temporarily stolling in her veins when the Dark Lord was summoned.

There was a commotion down the stairs and before she had time to react, her wand was blasted out of her hand. She hissed furiously. It was that filthy blood traitor of a Weasley.

"Stop, or this one dies," she screeched as held up the girl and placed her knife at her throat. That seemed to have some impact. The boys dropped the wands and she ordered Draco to pick them back up again.

A grinding noise made her look up and she noticed just in time that the chandelier was coming down. She pushed the Mudblood away – who cared if she got killed by it? – and dove to the side, just in time.

But they managed to get away, with the wands, due to a stupid house elf. Bellatrix was angered and terrified, for she knew the Dark Lord was on his way. She had after all summoned him herself. He would be furious.

-o0o-

The Dark Lord was indeed furious. No, he was beyond furious. His wrath was terrible. Bellatrix had never seen him this mad. He was firing curses at all of the Death Eaters, for letting Harry Potter and his friends escape. Cries of terror filled the room as one after the other was hit. All around her, she saw people writhe and convulse in pain. She had been able to avoid being hit so far, but she knew that it wouldn't take long before she too was subject to her Master's rage. When she heard him commencing what sounded like a killing curse, she barely had time to think. Next to her she saw Lucius starting to Disapparate and on a whim she got hold of his sleeve just he disappeared. Seconds later, they landed safely in the hallway. Lucius shot her a look of disgust and ran up the stairs, probably towards Narcissa. Bellatrix panted and only now did she realise what she had done. She had fled. She, Bellatrix Lestrange-Black, second lieutenant and most loyal servant to the Dark Lord had fled his side. _But what good would you have been to Him if you had gotten yourself killed?_ a tiny voice inside her head said. She knew the Dark Lord would punish her later and she would deserve whatever punishment He gave her. But for now, she was just relieved to have survived.

* * *

_A/N: Sorry there wasn't a lot of Narcissa in this chapter, but she will play a big part in the next chapter, I promise!_


End file.
